For Someone Important
by Hakumei-chan
Summary: He died sealing a demon into his own son and became a shinigami. Years later and now a taicho, Minato has return to protect his world from Aizen and the arrancars. In the midst of everything, he meets up with Naruto for the first time in years. Rewriting
1. Prologue

**For Someone Important**

Was it the right thing to do?

That question repeats itself in the mind of the man standing in the middle of a half-ruined village and the sound of the pounding rain surrounding him. His ridiculous blond hair still stood up even from the hard-hitting rain, his eyes downcast, looking at the ground.

Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage is a lost spirit wandering in the world of the living. He's been aware of that when he saw the ANBU ninjas carried his corporal body away for the preparations of his funeral and the fact there's an odd chain attached to his chest. He noted it was odd seeing the chain eating itself slowly. Guilt, regret and hatred coil his entire being for what he has done almost a year ago now when he sealed the Kyuubi no Kitsune in Naruto.

Naruto.

His own son.

An orphan now without a father and a mother to watch over him as he grows up in the future; Minato could only idly stand and now watch the villagers screaming and voicing their opinions in killing the boy he requested to be known as a hero in keeping the demon at bay. He screamed and yelled just as loudly back at the villagers, but it was futile as nobody could hear or see him. They call his son a demon and they were wrong.

Minato is the real monster here, he sealed the being in his own son and he's the one to blame.

Already half the chain have been corroded, he mildly wondered what would happen if the entire chain were to disappear. At the same time, he didn't want to know. A part of him screamed that something very bad would happen soon if he doesn't figure out what the chain means soon.

"I finally found you," a voice broke through the man's thoughts of despair and regret. "So you're the one I've been sensing these past several hours…and it seems that your chain is still intact, that's a good thing." The man turns to the look at person addressing him only to find nobody. "…Look down." The voice ordered, this time it sounded a bit annoyed. The man did and find old, wise teal eyes looking back at him. To the blond's surprise, it was a boy wearing a black robes and a white haori over the black with a blade strapped onto his back with a green slash. The child had white hair spiked up, kind of reminding him of one of his pupil and the boy seem be frustrated at him for some reason. "You're the one with the high reiryoku." Minato was confused. Half surprise the boy could see and talk to him. He is _dead_, after all.

"Reiryoku? What are you talking about?" he asked. "Who are you?"

"A shinigami," the boy replied. The man's confusion deepens.

"The last shinigami I saw looked was a monstrosity. It's impossible for you to be one." Minato commented, he didn't notice the sudden tension surrounding him and the kid that claimed he's a shinigami, or maybe he's just imagining it. "Why am I still here? I expected to be in the belly of a shinigami..."

"It must have been the doing of this world's shinigami; maybe he must have foresaw something from you to release you," The boy plainly stated and he unsheathes his sword. "Or it could be the fact you subconsciously somehow used your reiryoku to protect you. As of now, I'm taking you to Soul Society to learn how to control your power, it would be unwise to keep your abilities uncheck."

"Soul…Society?" By now, the Yondaime Hokage was confused to the point his head throbbed as if there's a hammer banging his skull from the inside.

"In your words, it's heaven." The boy explained. "I'm going to do a konsoh – a soul burial- on you now. You'll be in Soul Society and your life will reset from there."

"I deserve hell," Minato states, his mood turning gloomy again. "Just leave me be."

"If I were to not guide you to Soul Society and let you stay here, that chain on your chest will disappear in time. Once that's gone, you'll become a Hollow – an evil spirit that will prey on the living and dead souls that have a high spiritual pressure like you do." That made Minato flinched but the boy didn't seem to care. "Hollows…they want nothing more to fill the emptiness…they'll start with family, then friends and then anybody they could get their hands with." Minato tensed up pretty quickly.

No, he didn't want to hurt his child…not…Naruto. Minato's despair came back at him with full force. He couldn't…wouldn't take the life of his own son…will he?

"I have no choice…do I?" Minato asked.

"It was never a choice to begin with," the shinigami replied curtly. "But it's the only way for you to not attack your son if you were to become a hollow." Minato looked pained. There was no way out of this. He stare down at his chain…the accursed chain that is a ticking bomb. It didn't take him too long to debate with his inner turmoil, he finally nod to the short shinigami, complying. He'll leave…in order to protect his son.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, juuban tai taicho of Seireitei" Minato noticed the confidant tone the boy has. "You?"

"Namikaze Minato," Minato replied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Namikaze," Hitsugaya nods. "Hopefully this will not be our last encounter." He performs the konsoh and Namikaze glowed lightly and his body began to fade.

"Yeah…same here," Minato said. He felt the hilt of the sword touch his forehead and felt his body envelop in light. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth wash over him and he thought only of his son before he lost himself in the light.

"_Goodbye Naruto."_

/--------------/


	2. Goban Tai Taicho

_Smile.  
Knowing it's the only thing left to do.  
Laugh.  
Knowing that your mask fools others.  
Kindness.  
Knowing that it makes others not to suspect your sadness.  
Despair.  
Knowing that you're alone to face the unbearable pain by yourself. _

Chapter 01 – Goban Tai Taicho

(Fourteen Years Later)

When the first ray of the sun can be seen from the distance of Seireitei, shinigamis from every division were waking up and everybody were getting ready for their duties and work for the day. The lower subordinate shinigamis would do their regular guard duties, the seated shinigamis from seats three to ten would prepare for today's training secessions for the newly recruited shinigamis, fukutaichos are ready to assist their division and taicho(Most of them are anyways, some of them are still getting over the hangover from the other night all thanks to a certain female fukutaicho who convinced most of them in joining a drinking contest), and finally today is the day where captains are gathering together for a promotion meeting. Yamamoto-soutaicho, the captain-commander of Seireitei stood in front of the other ten captains to begin.

"Although a year has passed, the war is still continuing as Aizen Sousuke has evade our capture a month ago. The traitors Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname have been caught and properly executed. Seireitei is still in the mist of chaos as two of the thirteen taicho seats are still empty and recently Abarai Renji has taken the position as the sanban tai taicho," Yamamoto-soutaicho began. "As of now, the fifth and ninth captains are without captains. About week ago, two captains and I were called to observe the Captain's Qualification Examination and found one suitable shinigami for job. May the new goban tai taicho of the Gotei 13, Namikaze Minato, please enter." Most of the captains turn their head to the door to see the new captain entering.

Minato entered the room with a calm expression on his face wearing a white haori over his standard black garments. He stopped, standing in the middle of the other captains who were looking at him, waiting for him to do something. Then he gave everybody a warm and sincere grin.

"Good morning," Minato began with a cheerful expression. "I'm Namikaze Minato and it's an honor being the new taicho of the Gotei 13. I'll give it my all in performing my duties and orders as taicho of the fifth division." The eight-division taicho noticed the man carrying a holster around his waist.

'_Kunais and shurikens?'_ Shunsui Kyouraku thought with interest. _'I've never seen him in Soifon's division before.'_ Then again, the hachiban tai taicho doesn't really know many outside of the eight-division other than his drinking buddies and the other taichos. The meeting soon ended and Hitsugaya made his way over to the fifth division taicho who was currently speaking with Ukitake-taicho.

"Congratulations on making captaincy," Ukitake began. "Half of us here may look frightening but don't fret. If you need any help, come by to my division if you have any questions." Minato smiled heartily at Ukitake-taicho, saying thanks and then saying farewell to the juusanban tai taicho as the man left before turning to Hitsugaya-taicho.

"Yo, Hitsugaya-taicho," Minato gave the short shinigami a playful mock salute.

"You seem happier than the last time I saw you," Hitsugaya greeted.

"Ahaha…" Minato laughed weakly. "My memories when I was alive…as well as my regrets and pain are still here," He gestures with his right hand over his heart. "But I'm fine now…most of the time and I'm glad we can finally meet again. I haven't seen you in almost a year." During the war, each division were busy performing their designated tasks and the taichos and fukutaichos are seen running about ordering the division doing so.

"Likewise," Hitsugaya nodded. Then he frowned. "I hope you're ready for the upcoming battle."

"Ah, you don't have to worry about me," Minato replied. "It wouldn't be the first time I've been in one, Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Hn. Then you should go and meet your new division," Hitsugaya said. "I'm pretty sure they would want to know who's in charge now." Minato smiled.

"Yeah, you're right. The faster I know them, the better we could get along!" the blonde chirped overly cheerful. "I'll stop by at your division later on, see ya!" In a flash, the man was gone. The shorter taicho blinked and sighed.

Namikaze sure puts on a good mask. It almost fooled him. Almost.

Then again, Hitsugaya could see that Namikaze and him are very much alike.

/--/

"Good morning," Minato greeted the fifth division with a cheerful smile and held an aura of authority around him. "I'm Namikaze Minato, you're new taicho of the fifth division, it's a pleasure to meet you all," He looked around to get a better look at the division. There reigned silence, nobody seems that enthusiastic about having a new taicho but who could blame them. The leader of the hollows was their former captain for a good one hundred years. The betrayal ran deeper than the soutaicho has expected. "So…which one of you is Hinamori Momo, the fukutaicho of the fifth division?" A girl stepped out from the other shinigamis and Minato noted that her eyes are empty and cold, devoid of any kindness. Other than her appearance is fairly ordinary compared to the other shinigamis, her only notable feature is her hair up in a bun with a cloth wrapped around it and a ribbon tied to it.

"I'm the fukutaicho Hinamori Momo," Momo introduced. He noted her voice is strained, trying to hide her anger for the new taicho. Minato smile continues to smile as if nothing was wrong.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Hinamori," he said with a hand out for a friendly handshake. He didn't seem surprise when she slapped it away. Rumors have been circulating about the fifth division's fukutaicho and her mental stability.

"Ah! Fukutaicho-!?" most of the shinigamis were shocked at their fukutaicho's attitude to their superior. Their new taicho no less. Nobody knows much about the man and the way he smiles made them a bit uneasy.

"I will not accept you as the new taicho of this division," Hinamori states coldly. "You should have picked another division when you decided on being a captain. We are better off without you." From the faces of the other shinigamis, Minato could clearly tell she's been giving everybody hell. His cheerful expression became serious almost instantly.

"Ah, but Hinamori-kun, you're not the one making the decision anymore here. You were just acting captain until a suitable captain is chosen. It may sound mean but you know the rules and regulations," Minato reply. "There's a war that we shinigamis have to win to protect the balance of the living and the dead. As a new taicho, I'm here to get the division back on track one way or the other. Though you might not believe, I can understand that after what happened and I'm ready to gamble with whatever I have, even with my life. I really hope we get along just fine, really." He gave them a confidant foxy grin. "Tomorrow, let's meet up for some survival training so I can see where you guys are at. Until then I'm treating you guys for a round of sake. Who's with me!?"

A loud cheer rang throughout the division and the blonde grin happily but inwardly he despaired. There goes his last four paychecks…not that he really spends them. He then sighed; somehow, his sensei's stinginess about money is rubbing off on him.

Well at least he's getting along with everybody.

A glare and anger radiating from Hinamori stopped his train of thoughts. She was attempting to burn a hole through his skull.

Well…almost everybody.

/--/

"Ehhh!? The goban tai taicho invited his entire division for sake!?" Hitsugaya's alcohol-addicted fukutaicho whined. "Why can't you be like that, taicho!?"

"If I were to ever do that, you'll never get your work done," Hitsugaya reply as he finished another page of his paperwork. "Now get back to work, Matsumoto! You still have your pile from yesterday."

"But I want to go and meet the new taicho," Matsumoto pouts.

"Somebody called me?" Minato's voice called from the window. The two tenth division higher ups turned to see Minato sitting on the window ledge smiling brightly, giving them a small wave. "Hello again, Hitsugaya-taicho and…?"

"Juuban tai fukutaicho, Matsumoto Rangiku," Matsumoto introduced.

"Matsumoto Rangiku," Minato repeated. "It's a lovely name…and a pleasure to meet you. I'm Namikaze Minato." The woman squealed in delight, being the fact she's been commented for having a lovely name. Flattery has always been one of the things Minato's best at; course, one wrong move when he's around Kushina and he could expect his body to be flung across a room. His wife is a scary woman when she's jealous.

Minato learned it the hard way. It's a wonder how people would brand him a genius.

"I advise you not to encourage her, Namikaze-taicho," Hitsugaya warned. "By the end of the next Women's Association Meeting, you'll have them stalking you by the end of this month. Trust me, I found it the hard way." The shorter shinigami grimaced as he recalled his unfortunate events with the association as they followed him for being too 'cute' when he's mad or frustrated. Hyourinmaru wasn't much of a help that time as the dragon laughed at his misery.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Minato grinned.

"Ne, aren't you suppose to be with your division, drinking?" Matsumoto asked.

"I was," Minato replied. "We just finished in the sake bar and ate. Everybody was so tense when I came but with a little alcohol in their system, we got along just fine." His grin grew wider and the other taicho could see determination in the man's eyes. "I want to bring back the morality and spirit the division once had before Aizen's betrayal. The division's flower – the Lily of the Valley, it means 'finding happiness'. Well, that's what I'm going to do; bring back the happiness Aizen took away no matter what. I just hate seeing happy people sad." Minato knew that sounded a bit corny but as for the moment he didn't care.

"How did Hinamori-fukutaicho react?" Hitsugaya asked, Minato could hear the worry in the other taicho's voice.

"She…doesn't accept me as a taicho, I'm afraid," Minato frowned. "I'm sorry to say, I doubt she'll ever accept me since her admiration for Aizen is still there even after that man almost...you know. I know she's your best friend and all."

"…Hinamori-fukutaicho hasn't been thinking logically for a while now," Hitsugaya stated. "She hasn't been doing her duties, if you must, I won't be mad if you decide to remove her from her position."

"Are you sure?" Minato asked.

"Everybody knows about her…stability right now," Hitsugaya informed, choosing his words wisely. "Abarai Renji, the fukutaicho of sixth division, had tried out as the fifth division taicho, he was trying to help Hinamori since they were friends since their academy years but it didn't work out."

"So that explains the reason he became the sanban tai taicho that fast," Minato reply. "Still, that doesn't stop me from trying to make some things right. I promised the division I'd protect them and bring their morals up. I keep my words, dead or alive, Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Hn." Hitsugaya finished writing the last kanji on his paper, putting it on his ever-growing pile of completely work. "You should go back to your quarters to do your paperwork. I'm pretty sure it's been piling up after all this time and Matsu-" He paused and looks up from his work to see Minato and no Matsumoto. His fukutaicho apparently made her hasty escape while Minato and him were talking.

A vein on his forehead throbbed.

"MATSUMOTO!"

It was then Minato made his hasty escape from the other's office not wanting to be there to see the shorter shinigami's icy wrath.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ojii-chan!" Minato cried before shunpoing out of there.

"What was that!?" Hitsugaya's roar can be heard throughout half of Seireitei and Minato laughed merrily along the way.

/--/

"Ah! The last paper is done!" Minato sighed in relief as he set the last piece of paperwork on the top of the pile. Even in death he still has to do paperwork...still, it was the best thing to do to pass time. Troublesome, but as a high position leader, paperwork will always be price of a person with such status. (Which explains why the day he was announced as the official Hokage, Sarutobi literally danced with joy the moment the old man was finish with the ceremony.)

Death is also included in the package as well. Minato didn't want to think what would happen if he dies again. He's been informed of three different theories of what happens if a spirit were to die.

One: the spirit will go back to the reincarnation cycle and be reborn into a new life.

Two: they will burst into tiny spirit particles and become one with Seireitei or Hueco Mundo.

Three: the spirit will cease to exist. **Completely.**

Minato sighed and quickly push those thoughts aside. Dark thoughts like those would only irritate a certain spirit in his inner world and he didn't want to be told off by his other half. His other is extremely snappish when Minato's brooding mood.

In his right hand, an orb of blue reiatsu forms, spiraling with energy. A small smile grace his features. "Rasengan." He murmurs. He couldn't make his signature move out of chakra and it took him years to finally make a Rasengan out of pure reiatsu. He never has that much time to spend and practice on his manipulating his reiatsu to perform jutsus he knew when he was alive. Mainly because he had no time as a shinigami and there's no privacy when he needs it.

The entire Gotei 13 is like a giant salon full of gossipers. Apparently there wasn't any action or news worthy of gossiping(besides Matsumoto's drunken antics) among other shinigamis until Kurosaki's break-in with his friends to save Kuchiki Rukia and Aizen's betrayal two years ago. He didn't want to be a part of the gossip since seeing he's one of those rare shinobi souls who manages to enter Soul Society and become a shinigami. He didn't want to be bombard with so many questions…or have Soifon order her entire division to beat the life(err…death) out of him for any useful jutsus(she'll probably most interested in taijutsus seeing that they can't use chakra at all and she's a hand-to-hand combat type of person). Thus, he chose to hide his shinobi background and the only ones who know about it are Yamamoto-soutaicho and Hitsugaya-taicho.

After fourteen years, the man made a facade for everybody to see that he's just an ordinary shinigami with none of his skills as a Hokage. Of course, there will be questioning and suspicion when they see damaged trees and walls looking like a spiral. Grinning sheepishly, he could wave it off as his zanpakuto's attack. It is believable since he rarely releases his zanpakuto's shikai and bankai and so nobody could argue with him since most shinigamis has never saw his blade in it's true form.

When he's alone, he could drop his mask and his smiles, letting the sorrow and guilt consume before putting his mask back on again. Once a year he'll have a day alone to think of his past – holding important memories of the past is like trapping a beast in a small cage. Cornering a beast for too long can make them frightening mad to the point where they would struggle to break free and lash back at their captor. He sighed, watching his Rasengan vanish on it's own.

Then got out of his chair, pick up the pile of paperwork with both hands and carry it to the administrative office.

It's late, Minato wants to sleep and prepare himself for tomorrow's agony:

More paperwork.

/--/


	3. Hell

_You dress up formally in white,  
Even though you know you will be soaked,  
In the blood of your enemies.  
Even when you know you will cut  
Into a hundred ribbons,  
You still dress yourself up in white._

Chapter 02 – Hell

War is a hellish event.

War is hell in general.

Blood littered and flayed everywhere, shinigami and arrancars alike are dying and the only thing that's keeping them alive is one absolute rule in a war: to kill or be killed. It's never a pretty sight or a memory a person would want to remember.

Minato knows from experience, he can recall the Third Great Shinobi War clearly and could probably give anybody a clear detail about it. So many good shinobis were lost that time and he lost a dear student in a mission. Had he came earlier; he would have been able to save Obito. His mind would wander what has become of Kakashi and Rin these past fifteen years but right now isn't the right time to do so.

Now he's facing another war, and this time he's facing arrancars and espadas as enemies rather than going against enemy shinobis. In just six months, the man has brought up the division's moral by a lot and training them was agonizing slow (apparently Hinamori-fukutaicho hasn't been doing her duties at all), causing the man to go through a long process on getting the whole division back to shape. It helped the division a lot especially in Hueco Mundo, so far they have the least amount of casualties so far compare to the other division. The fourth division is behind the rest as they treated the injured with Unohana-taicho standing by and Ukitake-taicho stayed behind as he receive and send out orders and reports. All the other division and taichos are battling for their lives and bringing the downfall of Aizen as the madman made his last stand in his dome palace. Two days earlier, Minato had a meeting with Yamamoto-soutaicho and received horrifying news.

_(Flashback)_

"_You can't be serious…" those four words were the only thing that the blonde could say at times of distress and chaos. In reality, after the soutaicho finish briefing the man, Minato had to squash the urge to charge straight into Hueco Mundo to raise hell alone. Minato just want to deny the information the captain-commander himself just informed him._

_Aizen is planning on invading his world. _

_His home._

_**Konoha**__._

"_I understand from reports of the other captains over the years that Konoha have the highest reading in the reiryoku count…" Yamamoto droned. "And it's a possibility that Aizen will go after your village." _

_It didn't take an idiot to know that._

"_But what you told me fourteen years ago, the barrier surrounding my home dimension prevents any outside forces from coming over. That means shinigamis and hollows with no exception. Every once a year, the barrier will weaken just for one captain-level shinigami to crossover to the other side to perform our duties and come back before the barrier comes back up." Minato said. "The barrier won't drop for another six months so how can Aizen invade my home?" _

"_We believe during Aizen's time as goban tai taicho, the man has gathered information your home world, incorporated with his experiments and found a possible way to bypass the barrier." Yamamoto replied. Minato tried his best not to flinch. He was hoping the captain-commander didn't say that. It just made it worse for the blonde's inner turmoil…_

"…_You're not here just to tell me that, are you?" Minato asked. _

"_Sharp…as I expected you to be," Yamamoto commented. "There has been theories of Aizen having allies in the other who helped supplied the traitor knowledge in possibly creating a portal to your home."_

"_None of them would be insane in doing that unless…"Minato hand balled up to a fist, shaking slightly. "Aizen promised them power and lots of it." In his mind, he could already calculate who would want power and those who would be willing to trade their shinobi-brothers for it._

"_Which is why if Aizen were to ever follow through his plans before we could destroy his portal."_

"_You can consider that done," Minato replied, nodding in confirmation, eyes still determined._

"_And if you were to fail that mission?" the bearded captain asked. _

"…_If I were to fail from stopping Aizen to go through the portal, I'll follow the man and hunt him down from there," Minato replied. "I won't stop until I wipe him out." With conviction in the ex-Hokage's voice convinced the oldest taicho in Seireitei that the shinobi made taicho would not let him down._

"_If that were to happen, I want you to find Aizen's allies and dispose of them. Also…do you plan on returning home to Konoha?" Yamamoto-soutaicho asked. The man's desire to go back home between the three taichos was no secret. _

"…_Yes, there is someone I want to see before completing the mission," Minato replied. _

"_As long as you don't interfere with the living then that is fine," Yamamoto replied. "However…you must remember you are no longer among the living. It will only make it harder for you in the end." _

"_I understand," Minato's gaze became distant but it still held determination. _

"_Now head back to your division, Namikaze-taicho," Yamamoto dismissed. "The orders and plans for the battle in two days' time will be waiting on your desk. Prepare your division and your self for this battle will be a hellish experience." _

_Minato bowed one more time before leaving the first division office. _

_(Flashback end)_

"Ahaha!" one of the three Arrancars he's currently going against laughed as the blonde went on defense, trying to push the man into a corner while his entire division was going against an army of Gillians.

"Given up yet, chibi-taicho?" one of the Arrancars mocked. "Rumors had it you just barely mastered your worthless bankai."

Minato's left eye twitched. Does the man even resemble anything_ like a_ chibi? And it's been almost a year since he master bankai thank-you very much. He didn't want to say anything knowing this Arrancar could chatter nonstop if given the chance.

"We bet it's incomplete, just like that shorty taicho," the third sneered.

"Well, is it?" Instead of taking the bait of the Arrancars' taunts, Minato did the opposite and just grinned. It wasn't like his usual grin he'll give back at Seireitei, it was cold and his eyes looked a bit feral. This shock the three though they quickly recomposed themselves and glared at him back.

"What's so funny?" the same Arrancar who laughed at him earlier, asked.

"Oh nothing but I was just talking to my zanpakuto and he wants to do nothing more but to have you three for dinner for insulting his 'container.' Kaku o haanatano chikara wo shimesu(Your tails represent your power), Byakko(white fox)," Minato chanted. The Arrancars jump back as a sudden burst of reiatsu coming from the taicho and they watch the blade glow and extend. The blade suddenly resembles an over-sized white cleaver blade. The blade curve making it forms a crescent-shape and the blade became a foot-and-a-half wider. On the man's right cheek, what seems like a seal is formed and his eyes has a red glint in them. Minato swung the blade with one hand, holding the blade as if it was just the same as it was before and pointed at the Arrancars.

"You think just because your blade got bigger it got better!?" one of the three Arrancars shouted. Minato ignored them. He didn't want to comment the arrancar's last statement.

Damn Jiraiya and his twisted perverted ways.

"Wareme(Split)," Minato said, his eyes glazed as if he's in a trance. "Nibi(Two tails)." Another blade appeared in the man's other hand.

"What the he-" Two of the arrancars were immediately taken out by the man in a flash. The third Arrancar look at Minato with fear evident in the hollow's eyes.

"I'm not afraid!" the hollow cried, holding its zanpakuto up. "I have a release too! Resur-"

"Too slow," Minato stated calmly. The last thing the arrancar saw was a yellow flash before the hollow fell down to the battlefield, dead. Minato stood there for a moment before his microphone snapped him out of his daze.

"_Namikaze-taicho,"_ Ukitake voice rang loud and clear. _"Status report!"_

"We're fine. Three hundred casualties so far, the injured are being taken to the fourth division for treatment. We're holding up the Gillians and Arrancars just fine," the blonde reply as he took down three Gillians who were about to perform a Cero on his division. "Has any of the other division made it near the palace yet?"

"_Yes! And Yamamoto-soutaicho has issued a command to enter the palace, now!"_ Ukitake said between screams and explosions from the other side.

"Order received," Minato reply. "I'm handing my command of the division to Hina-" he paused and sensed Hinamori-fukutaicho nowhere near the battlefield. Her reiatsu was far…as in coming from the palace far.

The man is _so_ demoting his fukutaicho after this.

"I'm handing my command to my third seat, Ukitake-taicho. I'm heading to the palace now." He turned to the direction of his third seat is currently in position. "Umika Jiri! You are hereby in charge of the fifth division's command until I get back!" the blonde cried and threw his headpiece of the male shinigami. In the sea of battle, a male shinigami caught the headpiece and cried 'Roger!' somewhere in the sea of battle.

In a flash, Minato was gone from sight.

/--/

Inside the dome, Minato quickly met up with Hitsugaya-taicho and clearly see the concern and worry in the other's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya," Minato apologized as they ran along side down the corridor. "I should have kept a better watch-"

"Save it," Toushiro cut the man off. "I'm not mad. A part of me should have warned you not to let Hinamori to come to the battlefield but I didn't. In a way it's my fault as well."

"I should have left her back in Seireitei," Minato said. In the last six month, the both of them made a decent relationship as the man would visit the shorter captain when he's done with his paperwork and training and he would just tell Hitsugaya stories of his past. Sure they have some serious arguments but Minato would call the other names to bring the immature side of the other and they'll forget whatever they were arguing earlier. In a tag-team battle against other taichos in training secessions, they make the best teams together and they seem to have the perfect offensive and defensive in combat. They were almost like brothers and Minato seem to have made the worst mistake by leaving Hinamori unattended. He should have watched the girl better, and then maybe he didn't have to see the sadness in Hitsugaya's eyes.

"How about we say it's both our fault," Toushiro suggested.

"…If that's what you want," Minato replied, guilt is still evident in his voice.

"… We're here now," Toushiro informed and they stopped in front of a giant door in front of them. It was odd, they couldn't feel the others' reiatsu but that didn't stop them, they have a mission to do. Minato and Toushiro drew out the sword and the blonde quickly kicked the door down(the man has wanted to do that for a long, long time). From the other end, they could see Aizen with a number of hollows.

"Ah, it seems like our guests finally here," Aizen greeted. "Welcome Hitsugaya-kun and my successor."

"My name's Namikaze Minato, and I'll have to be insane if I were to feel proud on being called your successor," Minato states coldly. He found the ex-captain extremely arrogant. Really, who gels their hair back and let one annoying strand out in front?

Damn bastard.

"That's a bit too cold but it's just as I expected from a shinobi like you," if Minato was surprise, he didn't show it.

"How long have you known about that, Aizen?" Toushiro demanded.

"You could say a very long time now," Aizen reply.

Minato glance the room and sensed for Hinamori and the other taichos? They should have been here by now.

Unless…

"They won't be coming, if that's what you're thinking," Aizen informed as if he was reading the man's mind. His attention turns to the weird contraption behind him. Minato, being a seal master he is recognize most of the seals engraved on the contraption.

"Those…those seals are ninja seals!" the man cried, completely livid and his reiatsu leaked out of his body like a waterfall. "You…you stole them from the Shinobi Continent!"

"Do you understand what they can do?" Toushiro asked. Minato shook his head slightly indicating a no but in his guts, he had a bad feeling about them.

"These seals were provided to me by a snake," Aizen reply metaphorically. "It was a simple task to convince missing-nins in exchange for power." The word 'snake' registered in Minato's mind and he quickly made the connections.

"Orochimaru." He hissed. He thought and then vow if he ever gets the chance, he'll kill the snake Sannin and send the bastard to hell. It's a good thing Yamamoto gave him the permission to do so.

"Just what is it that you want from the other side?" Minato asked. Aizen gave him a cruel smile.

"Why should I tell something like that to a being inferior to me?" he replied, releasing his spiritual pressure. The trio struggle to stand as the same with the espadas and arrancars. Minato caught a glance at Aizen drawing his blade and disappearing. His training he received as both a shinobi and shinigami allow him to track the man no matter how fast he went, he expected the man to go after him but instead Aizen did the opposite.

"Hitsugaya, watch out!" Minato cried, pushing a healthy dose of reiatsu to his legs to negate the effects of Aizen's. He instinctively shunpo and tackle the shorter shinigami down, saving his friend but with a price as he felt blood pouring down his side.

"Namikaze!" Toushiro cried out, the normally stoic taicho felt frantic for the first time in a while seeing the blonde bleeding heavily.

"Impressive. You were able to break free from my spiritual pressure," Aizen stated the matter as if it was a bad thing. "You have gotten stronger since I last saw you in Tousen's division as a third-seat...but then again, you could have just easily overpower any fukutaicho when you wanted to. Maybe a taicho even without a bankai through that tainted soul of yours."

"Hypocrite…" Minato snarled, one hand holding his profusely bleed wound. "If you go to the other side, I will personally hunt you down and kill you."

"Tough words for a child whose about to die," Aizen states. "Why do you bother using such strong words when you're at the weakest?" Hitsugaya couldn't move, not because he can't but being trapped under the bleeding taicho, one move can worsen the man's condition, judging by the wound alone. He could also feel the blood drenching itself onto his own robes. Aizen made his way casually back to the device. "If you must know, Minato-kun, I've been looking into the subject of Jinchuurikis and the monsters residing in them." The man looks at them with cruel and cold glance of victory. "And the power they will have if I were to change them into a hollow. They'll make a fine group of espadas, won't you agree? And the Kyuubi no Kitsune… he'll be the finest espada to ever walk our plane."

Minato felt his heart sank and his face paling not from the blood loss though. He was paling of the fact Aizen will be after Naruto. The reason why he came to Soul Society in the first place: to protect his son from becoming a hollow. He was dimly aware of the noise coming from the contraption and the light blind him for a moment(the man was in a temporary state of shock). Footsteps were marching towards the light and disappearing to the other side, Aizen was the last to go.

The hollows are moving. They're invading his homeland; they're going to invade Konoha. They're going after Naruto.

'_No!'_ he thought as he furiously struggles to get up. His shinobi instincts were kicking into overdrive. He soon realized it wasn't just his shinobi instincts, nit his parental instincts as well. He wants to go and protect Naruto from the madman even if it would cost him his soul. He'll be damned if Aizen does lay a finger on his boy's hair.

He fell to his knees as a wave of pain spread throughout his body and every nerve of his body scream in protest. He would have fallen back again if Hitsugaya didn't catch him in time. The man could see a speck of his blood on the tensai's face.

"We're going to have to retreat and regroup," Toushiro informed. Minato look back at the boy as if the teen was a lunatic.

"No! Have to go back to Konoha!" Minato struggled to speak as a trail blood dribble down his chin.

"You can barely move!" Toushiro reply. His attention turn to the device and the light was fading. On the side they could make out some words:

**Self-destruct sequence in ten seconds. **

Well…_damn_.

If they don't go through soon, the device will be destroyed and Minato doesn't want to wait another year for the Senkaimon to open up.

Who knows if Naruto will still remain a human or become a hollow till then?

"Aizen's after my only child," Minato reply, he could feel the boy tensing under his weight. "If Naruto dies and becomes Aizen's new puppet, I'll never forgive myself. With or without you, I'll go through this portal by myself if I have to. Yamamoto-soutaicho gave me permission!" He pushes his body off his Hitsugaya and staggered before falling again. For the second time, the shorter shinigami caught him.

"…Well, if that's the case, then let's go," Toushiro said, looking up to the blonde. Minato stare at Toushiro with disbelief before looking eternally grateful.

"Thank you so much…" Minato said before coughing up some more blood.

"Just don't die and then we're even," Toushiro warned, shifting the man's weight a little before shunpoing to the light.

Not even a second later, the entire palace became a building of inferno as multiple explosion can be heard coming from it. Many took cover as random burning objects were sent flying everywhere.

"Is everybody all right?!" Ukitake-taicho called out into the intercom.

"_Yes! But taicho entered the building almost twenty minutes ago!"_ Matsumoto responded through the intercom. _"I can't sense his reiatsu!"_

"_This is third-seat Jiri from the fifth division, Namikaze-taicho entered the palace around that time as well."_ Jiri reply. _"You issued that command yourself!" _Ukitake frowned before connecting the dots.

Aizen must have hacked through communications and took those two away…and they fell for it.


	4. Interlude Happy Birthday

Interlude 01: Happy Birthday

"Do you accept this, Hitsugaya-taicho?" Kiyone of the thirteenth division asked.

"I will comply," Hitsugaya replied. "Tell Ukitake-taicho I'm leaving as soon as the barrier drops and he doesn't have to see me off." Kiyone instantly vanished as she shunpo back to the thirteenth division. Hitsugaya Toushiro blinked, not expecting this request. Apparently Ukitake has fallen ill again and the juusanban tai taicho has requested for him to take his duty on going to the Shinobi Continent to send the plus souls to the afterlife and take care any hollows before dumped a pile of gifts to the young genius. It's only been three years since Toushiro was last there, three years since he sent Minato to Soul Society.

Which is the reason why he's standing in middle of the forest just under the execution site. He waited until he heard a rustling of tree branches and a figure appeared in front of him.

"Oh, good afternoon, Hitsugaya-taicho," Minato greeted with a cheeky smile. Toushiro acknowledge him with a nod. Minato became a rising celebrity in the past three years. Finishing the academy in less than a year and became the third seat of the ninth division in less than two years, mastering shikai at the same time. The man's bright smile could outmatch Aizen's at times and his reputation as a ramen-fanatic is well known throughout Soul Society.

"How has your training been with your zanpakuto progressing?" Toushiro asked.

"Ehehe…Byakko is a sarcastic fox," Minato replied. "I can't materialize him yet if that's what you mean."

"It's rare to see a shinigami to have a zanpakuto with an opposite owner of it's original," Toushiro commented.

"It's rarer for a soul like me to come here in the first place," Minato also added. "But that's not the reason for you to be here in the first place, is it?"

"…No, it's not," Toushiro replied. "I'm going back to the Shinobi Continent on behalf of Ukitake-taicho. He is not well, he requested me to go."

"…" It didn't take a blind fool to know Minato's incredibly depressed by the news. "…My son's birthday is a week away…"

"I know…" Toushiro said. "Do you have any words for me to send for your son?" Minato blinked and stared.

"…What?"

"As much as I hate to say this but we're both nakamas," Toushiro began, eyes looking away and his tone dead serious. "And apparently your I've grown fond of your cheerfulness. I hate to see you like this, Namikaze." He heard sniffing and curiously, he looked up, regretting it immediately.

Namikaze Minato is _**bawling**_.

"Bakayarou! Stop crying!" Toushiro ordered as he punched the man with his fist. Minato wince and nursed his bruised left cheek, still sniffing. "Do you want me to give your son anything…something simple like a trinket or a message, I'll give it." In a flash, Minato hugged the short taicho thanking the child genius; it took a while for the white-haired shinigami to push the man off.

/-----------------------/

'_For just that day…can you be Naruto's friend and give him this?'_

"_Why am I doing this again?"_ Toushiro thought as he made his way down Konoha after his first six days in the Shinobi Continent. He just went through the entire country with ease purifying the lost souls. They didn't have that many souls that were lost than the previous years so his duty was really easy to do. He had until midnight before the barrier is place back up.

On the seventh day was the awaited day as the juuban tai taicho makes his way to see the son of the blond man he promised. He snuck into Konoha easily in his soul form before going to the nearest alley and suited up in a gigai. He has always found the body annoying as it stiffens his movement and he has always felt as if he was being suffocated by it. Nevertheless, he exited the alley and began his long search, making his way around the village in search of Minato's son.

"_I hope the boy is all right…"_ Toushiro thought. He looks up the sky with a frown on his face. He knows for the fact that on the day the boy was born is also the day when the Kyuubi came to attack this village with the intent to destroy it. Minato suspected this will be a day of mourning but he has no idea what has become of his son after the taicho sent the man to Soul Society. Minato never said much on his first year as a ghost watching over Naruto. The numbness and pain in the man's eyes three years ago was evident that he knew his son's life would be a painful one. Even now, the pain in the man's eyes is still there no matter how many time he smiles.

His thoughts were interrupted when his eyes caught the person he's looking for.

There on the third floor, staring out at the window is the child he's looking for(because heaven knows that there's only one blond that exist in Konoha). The eyes on the blond looks just as dead and sad as Minato's meaning Naruto wasn't hailed as a hero Minato wanted his son to be(Minato will be enraged with the news for sure). Toushiro was just about to step into the apartment complex until he paused. He thought for a moment as he remembered what he read from the book 'How to Blend in Human Society for Dummies' and recalled from a celebration section focused on birthdays.

He would need a…cake. A sweet cake since kids like cakes. He looked back up to Naruto before turning around, heading back to the bakery he just passed by not too long ago.

The bakery better have something good or they'll feel the wrath of an icy dragon.

/-----------------------/

"_For the day, please stay at home, Naruto,"_ Jii-san said, patting the boy's head lightly.

Naruto was bored. It didn't take an idiot to find that the child was bored as he sat on the edge of his bed, kicking his feet lightly and look out at the window. Today is day in which the Yondaime himself killed the Kyuubi at the cost of his own life. Of course, today is also the day where people would walk down the street with flowers in their hands and tears fall down their face. Naruto wanted to know people are doing this on this particular day. He couldn't ask them, the villagers would always give him one look. The look they would give him is full of hate and loathing. Jii-san told him to stay home today because of some…special reasons.

'_Is it because it's my birthday?' _the boy thought. He frowned. Birthdays are supposed to be happy but he guessed his birthday isn't a happy one at all.

A knock on the door stopped the boy's trail of thoughts as he turned his attention to the door. He frowned. Jii-san said nobody would visit him in the day…curiously he got out of the mattress and cautiously made his way across the room and open the door slightly.

His first impression of the stranger was that his hair was the whitest hair he has ever seen and the _shortest_ grandpa as well. Don't get the boy wrong; the stranger is taller than he is…but shorter than Jii-san. Naruto also wonder how come the stranger didn't have wrinkles like Jii-san. Don't people with white hair have wrinkles? On the stranger's right hand is a pink box with the bakery's logo on it. Naruto instantly recognize the stranger bought something from the best bakery known in Konoha.

"May I come in, Naruto-kun?" the stranger asked and to Naruto's surprise, the stranger's voice is a lot younger than he has expected to be. His weary instincts kicked in telling him not to but after a couple minutes of debating and his curiosity overwhelming his instincts; he swung the door open for the stranger to come in with the box in hand. The stranger looked around for a moment, figuring out where he should put the box and frowning at the trash that was littered all over the place. Finally, the stranger puts the box down on the table and removed all the empty ramen cups somewhere else. Naruto stared at the stranger with curiosity.

"Who are you, Jii-san?" Naruto asked. A vein mark appeared on the stranger's forehead.

"Do I really look that old?" the stranger asked in a dangerous tone. Naruto flinched at the tone and the stranger seem to have regretted it as the sharp teal eyes soften just a little with worry. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to come out that mean; it's a force of habit. I'm not a gramps…I'm probably fifteen or sixteen by terms." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know your age?" the blond child asked curiously.

"I lose track of time," the stranger replied. "If you're me then you'll understand me better."

"Oh." A pause. "So who are you, Nii-san?"

"You can call me Toushiro," Toushiro replied. "It's a pleasure to see you."

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked a bit impatiently. His curiosity was getting the better of him. He wants to find out more of the teen stranger that appeared today.

"A chibi like you shouldn't spend a Happy Birthday alone, you're too sweet to spend a day alone," Toushiro began as he unpacked the cake from the box. He brought out a strawberry cake and held it out to the blond, making the most sincere smile he can make. "So…'Happy Birthday,' Uzumaki Naruto," Toushiro announced.

Naruto gapped. Tears began to form and threatened to fall from those innocent blue eyes. Toushiro saw this and his sibling instincts kicked in. Truth be told, Toushiro doesn't like children at all but he doesn't like to see children tearing up either. It makes him feel like the bad guy(which he isn't, since shinigamis are good seeing that they purify souls to the after life and whatnot). Plus, the kid reminds him so much like Momo.

"Is something the matter, Naruto-kun?" Toushiro asked. All of a sudden, Naruto latched onto Toushiro's left leg leech, small arms holding on tightly and cried.

"You're the first to say those words to me, Shiro-nii," Naruto cried in between sobs. Toushiro's heart ached and downcast eyes look out at the window. He set the cake down on the table. He slowly pried the boy away from his leg and picked the boy off the ground to carry him. The genius prodigy has never done something like this before, hell he has never been in a situation like this before. Guilt racked in his mind as a part of this felt wrong.

Minato should be the one here to soothe the boy and the boy's pain. The pain from the both blonds' is unbearable. Minato's suffering from the constant guilt of knowing he has cursed his own son's life and Naruto's suffering from unbearable loneliness and hatred all by himself. If only there was a chance he could have brought the man over here back to his home dimension and let those two be a family. Toushiro's mental frown deepened. That won't ever work. Minato is forever dead to this world and Naruto still has his life ahead of him, there is nothing for him to do but to let time do its job.

Slowly Naruto's cries and sobs quiet and Toushiro place the boy sitting on the edge of the bed. The sun was beginning to set indicating Toushiro doesn't have that much of a time left to stay in this world.

"Would you like some cake right now, Naruto-kun?" Toushiro asked politely. The boy sniffed and nodded. Toushiro went over to cut a slice of cake for Naruto and for himself. They ate in silence with Naruto taking occasional glances at the other.

"Toushiro nii-san, are you a ninja?" Naruto asked.

"I'm just a traveler," Toushiro replied. That was technically not a lie; he did travel from Soul Society before coming here. "But I have a lot of connections and I guess I can relate to your life as well."

"How do you know about me?" Naruto asked, handing his empty plate to Toushiro, indicating he wants more. Toushiro couldn't help but admit it but the cake was delicious, even if he didn't really like to each sweets that much.

"There's a man I know here from Konoha, he has always wanted to meet you face-to-face," Toushiro began. "But he can't."

"Why?" Naruto asked, the boy was curious knowing whom the other person who would want to meet him.

"The man…he passed away," Toushiro replied. "He died a while ago…so he never got his chance to meet you." Tears began to form under the blonde's eyes again. "Don't cry, Naruto-kun. The man has always wanted to see you happy, that is his only wish…for you to be happy…and he gave me this to give to you." The teen shinigami pulled out from his back cargo jeans and held it out to Naruto. The blond instantly liked it in a blink of an eye. In Toushiro's hand is a tri-pointed kunai wrapped with some kind of seal on the handle. It looked bigger than an average kunai he has seen the ANBU shinobis would carry. "The blade is dull so you can't hurt yourself with it-"

Again, Toushiro was tackle hugged down by the crying blond. He never had the time to move his plate away so the short shinigami could feel the cream and icing of the cake cling onto his shirt.

"Thank you so much, Toushiro nii-san," Naruto cried.

"Don't thank me…" Toushiro began. "Thank my friend for this." This time, Toushiro waited for Naruto to cry himself to sleep.

/--------------------/

"I see…" Minato said, eyes staring down at the ground, sitting on a tree stump as Hitsugaya thoroughly reviewed his time with Naruto. The man was quiet and his face is completely passive, but the eyes tell a completely different story. Toushiro looked at the man with pained eyes for a split second before looking cold again.

"Listen Minato," Toushiro began. "Get stronger and become a taicho. That way, you'll be able to see your son. He's really sad and he really wants to meet the man who was kind enough to give him a gift."

"Thank you," Minato thanked sincerely as he got back up and drew his sword out.

"It's midnight," Toushiro began. "Judging by your looks, you haven't been sleeping properly late, go to bed."

"Haha…I didn't train at all today," Minato replied. "It irritates me if I don't, like an obsessive disorder." Toushiro sighed.

"Fine…but if I don't feel your reiatsu leaving this area in one hour, I'm coming after you," the taicho warned, glaring at Minato with a cold glare. Luckily for Minato, his back was turn so he didn't suffer from the genius' famous glare but that didn't stop him from getting a shiver going down his spine.

"Ah, don't worry, you worry too much," Minato replied cheerfully. "It's bad for your health."

"Hn." Toushiro disappeared without another word. He knows that he couldn't look at Minato straight in the eye and expect the blonde to smile after the news. If Minato had turned around, he would have seen the face of an emotionally broken father but he knows the man will get over it with new vigor in training.

Someday…someday, both blonds will be reunited again. It just takes time.

And Toushiro hated the wait.

/-------------------/

Author's Rambling: Yeah…never thought of this until after the 10th. Oh well, at least this is something, right? Right?

I hate college apps!!! Murder me!!!


	5. One Tiny Problem

_There's over a million ways for a reunion to happen._

_Of course, many of them would end up disastrous. _

Chapter 03 – One Tiny Problem

'Instant gigai pill,' or so Urahara Kisuke named it, the exiled scientist managed to create a pill version of the artificial bodies. They form once a shinigami swallows them and a gigai will form around the shinigami, thus creating a body for them to interact with the living. Not only that, the shinigami could imagine what kind of outfit they want to wear and they will appear instantly, which is pretty awesome in the opinion of many. Another use thing about them is that shinigamis can choose to have their blades materialize with them and allow higher-level shinigamis to have access to their abilities. Really useful and perfect for light traveling; taichos are authorize in carrying them a little over a month ago. Just in case of an emergency in the human world, of course.

Though…it seems like the two taichos have another dilemma in their hands.

"YOU GOT TO BE SHITTIN' ME!!!" Minato's voice carried out through the forest and birds flew away from danger. For the past three hours, Toushiro stared back at the infuriated taicho from a distance. A huge amount of reiatsu spilled from the other's body, the ground shook and animals flee from the scene.

The blond is currently having a _fit_.

"You're fine, Namikaze," Toushiro reassured. "Your wound from Aizen earlier has healed."

"I'm not okay!" Minato replied. "I'm a midget!" Standing in front of the juuban tai taicho is a sixteen-year old Namikaze Minato who's freaking out at the sudden age reversal. Even his shinigami uniform suddenly became too long for him to wear. That was quickly resolved when they took the pill and their clothes were immediately replaced. Toushiro wore his long black-sleeve shirt and navy jeans he usually wear when he's in Karakura, his zanpakuto still strapped on his back while Minato wore a gray short-sleeved sweater, black cargo pants, his kunai holder strapped on the right side of his waist and sandals and his zanpakuto is too strapped onto his back seeing he's now too short to have it strapped onto his waist.

Minato was still freaking out as he curses at the heavens above for the blasphemy. So the gigai wasn't much of a reassurance to both of them.

Toushiro tried, he really did but the shinigami couldn't help but smirk.

"We can theorize about how you became a midget now or we can use this to our advantage," Toushiro stated after letting the blond rant for another five minutes. However, Minato didn't listen, the ma- correction, teen was ranting.

"This better not screw with my control or my mentality," he continued. "Or is it already affecting me right now? Does that mean my powers have been affected too? I can't tell…"

"NAMIKAZE, shut up!" Toushiro roared, startling Minato out of his rant. Minato obliged immediately. "You can whine about this later or we can think of what we're going to do next."

"Fine…" Minato replied with dismay before turning serious again. "Do you think we can contact Soul Society right now?"

"Can't," Toushiro replied as he showed Minato his cellphone. "The barrier around your world is blocking all signals. Soul Society won't be reaching us for a while and until the barrier finally drops, or Urahara figures out a way to bypass the barrier the same way he figured out how to get to Hueco Mundo, we'll be protecting this world alone. We also need to suppress our reiatsu with the limit seal or else we'll cause more harm than good."

"…It would so suck if Aizen's army attacks us right now," Minato commented. Toushiro rolled his eyes. Apparently the aging did reverse the man's mentality even just a little. Like any normal teenager, the blonde has a potty mouth. He figured it out a long time ago shinobis are no different from humans in the other dimension.

"Yes, it would, we don't know how much it has affected your control," Toushiro agreed. "But that doesn't matter right now, I think is good that you regressed back into your younger self."

"You're just happy because you're no longer below my waistline." Minato grumbled under his breath. Toushiro chose to ignore the comment but that didn't stop the shinigami from dropping the temperature around them to a freezing state. This time, Minato was the one who backed away. A cold atmosphere is a bad atmosphere especially if Minato commented about the other's height again; he'll freeze for sure.

"Anyways, with you at this age, we'll be able to move through town without your old enemies coming after you. Then it would be easier for you to blend in society easier and it would give us a way to go through towns and protect them from the hollows but from what I recalled, the land is vast and there are many hidden villages."

"Oh! Then why don't we put up a barrier?" Minato asked, he rummaged through his baggy uniform and pulled out a scroll. "Ha! I knew carrying this with me to battle was a good idea!"

"What is it?" Toushiro asked.

"Ten completed anti-spirit barrier seals," Minato replied proudly. "Just place them around the area you're passing by and they should activate the moment you leave. The eleventh seal is the one you have to draw somewhere on your body or else the other seals will think you're an 'enemy' and rejects you...never tried it on myself to see what really happens, I just don't feel like getting toss back like a rag doll is a good idea."

"…You didn't." Toushiro said in disbelief. The people in the Kidou corps make seals; they're complex and it takes years for them to even develop one. There's no way the blond can figure out seal making so fast.

"Ehehe…I never said I was just a fighter in the past," Minato laughed before looking down at the scroll. "Seals are formulas broken down and calculated down to perfection before they're tested and finally work. The Namikaze clan was known throughout Konoha to be one of the best seal masters alive. I spent almost most of my free time combining shinobi seals and shinigami seals to see if it could repel a hollow. Tweaking it a bit might strengthen the barrier. I never have time around in making more of them because I spent most of my time training with Byakko than making seals."

"You know better than to do these kind of stunts," Toushiro reprimanded. "You'll have Yamamoto-soutaicho and Chamber 46 might think you'll turn traitor."

"Yeah, well, I can care less," Minato replied. "If they found any of my scrolls back at Soul Society, I placed a blood seal on them so that if anyone other me touches it, they will disintegrate. I'm well prepare when it comes to those kind of things and loosing those scroll doesn't really matter to me when I have all the knowledge store in my head."

"Hn…it's a wonder how you have all that knowledge stored behind those blond bangs of yours," Toushiro sarcastically remarked.

"Yeah, isn't that awe - Hey! I resent that!" Minato fumed. As blond as he may be, the man is a genius, and still is…to a degree. His currently mentality and stability is now in question as Toushiro watch Minato's moods switch faster than he could say 'Bankai.'

"I just said that to get your attention," Toushiro sighed. "Are you sure they can hold out until reinforcements comes?" Minato paused then scratch his head, in deep thought and clearly frustrated.

"Possibly," Minato sighed. "This barrier will probably hold out until then but I can never be so sure. We might have to go back and forth every once in a while to check how the seals are holding up…I don't know if I can activate bankai in this form…"

"You can try that after we finish sealing the villages," Toushiro replied.

"I can try adding a seal over another seal, but that would take a lot of time as I recall in my studies layering seals takes more time drawing it than formulating one. There's also a possibility of me being able to make a seal just right for Aizen." Minato added hopefully. "You know we could probably set up a trap for that bastard."

"Do you really think you can fool that man?" Toushiro asked. "And if it can work for Aizen, it could backfire and affect us as well."

"Hmm…you're right, we'll need to think of a plan about that later," Minato replied. "For now, we should start putting these seals around every villages we pass by heading to Konoha, but in order to cover more grounds, we'll have to split. Here's an extra copy of the scroll. Just even out the distance between the five seals and set them in a pentagon shape around the village, it'll protect the villagers. If you have to, act like some kind of disembodied figure and warn the villagers from setting foot outside the village. Hmm…remind me to have fun creating different varieties of the seal with different effects and create a counter-seal for the both of us."

"I'll take a head start. It's safe to assume just a little that Aizen will take a couple days to set up a headquarters somewhere so we have a little time before he starts his assault to your world," Toushiro stated, taking the copy scroll. "Normally, shinigamis are not suppose to interfere with the world of the living but since Aizen's invading the world of the living, we'll have no choice but to do drastic measures to prevent an entire continent genocide…Hyourinmaru has agreed to appear if he is needed in convincing the villagers."

The blond instantly imagined the shinobis in Kiri bowing down to the dragon instead of fearing him. Minato he snickered slightly then cursed loudly as Toushiro whacked the man with his sheathed blade. "THAT FREAKING HURTS!"

"Just worry about finishing that seal, rest for a moment to store up your reiatsu before heading for the villages," Toushiro ordered.

"Whoever gets to Konoha last has to pay for the meal in Ichiraku's?" Minato asked hopefully. Toushiro raised an eyebrow, confused. "Ramen stand." Those words were needed to explain everything, and it did.

Toushiro smacked the man(correction, teen) on the backside of his head again before shunpoing out the area. Minato's outburst could be heard throughout the forest.

"THANKS A LOT, MIDGET! I JUST FORGOT THE FUCKING FORMULA!"

/-------------------/

"Man…that was pointless coming here," Naruto complained for the umpteenth time. "There was nothing here but a giant hole on the ground."

"Quit your complaining, Naruto" the pink-haired kunoichi replied. "At least we know the impact was done by something extremely powerful." It's been three days since the entire continent felt the two giant blast of unadulterated foreign power that is completely different than chakra in so many ways. Even normal citizens could feel the blast.

It felt different, but at the same time compelling. Whatever it was, the energy from the blast felt like it was attracting chakra. Something about the impact just made the people to just want to go and know what the hell was it. Tsunade ordered Team Seven to go with Jiraiya and investigate the site of the first impact bordering Iwa, Suna and Konoha's boarders. The second impact was somewhere up north and there's no doubt other shinobis will be investigating the area. However, to their surprise, when they arrived, nobody was there and all that's there is a giant crater on the ground. The copy nin summoned Pakkun to help out in searching for any suspicious and familiar scents.

"What we did learn that blast is large enough wipe out a portion of the village, Naruto," Kakashi informed as he stood at the edge of the crater. The crater looks like it was almost half a mile wide and ten meters deep. The trees around them were vaporized, so it seems.

"Now the question is who and what is doing this," Jiraiya said as he brush the dirt off his hands.

"It could be a village testing their a weapon," Sai suggested. The pale ROOT shinobi cupped his chin, thinking.

"But that wasn't chakra we felt," Sakura frowned. "It felt…different. Especially this impact felt…hollow."

"And it couldn't be the Akatsuki seeing the energy doesn't have a bijuu feeling in them," Jiraiya informed. Naruto blinked.

"Meaning…?" his grouped sighed. Their blond teammate seems to still be the slowest thinker…even after his two-and-half years training with the toad Sannin.

"There is a possibility the power that caused the impact isn't from any village or from this continent at all," Kakashi announced. Pakkun paused from the area he was sniffing, looking up and sniffed the air. "Pakkun?" The ninken turned to Kakashi, looking a bit bewilder.

"Your sensei _is_ dead, right?" he asked. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"You obviously know the answer to that," Kakashi replied. Jiraiya also became suspicious.

"Your sensei's scent is heading this way," Pakkun pointed at the direction ahead of them. "And he's coming here…and fast." Hearing this, Jiraiya turned to the group.

"The three of you, hide now!" he ordered. At first, the teens were equally confused before they comply and hid themselves among the trees approximately ten meters away from the crater. Kakashi, Pakkun and Jiraiya did the same.

They waited.

And waited for what seem like an eternity(which for a certain blond, it was).

Then they heard rustling among the tree branches and a cloaked figure jumped out from the trees and landed right next to crater. The figure pulled down their hood and the leaf nins held back their gasp that would surely give them away. Jiraiya place a hand over blonde teen to keep the boy from shouting. Of course, the Sannin looked ready to have a heart attack there and then.

A teenager.

It was not just a teenager, but also a teenager with blond hair and clear blue eyes like Naruto. They can be close enough to be pass off as twins.

"Who…is he?" Sakura whispered. The blond down there couldn't be related to Naruto, could he? Otherwise everybody would have known there are two blonds running around Konoha.

"He looks almost like dickless here," Sai stated the obvious as they examine the other blond down there examine the crater. "But unlike Naruto here, he seems to know what's going on here."

"Mph!" Naruto cried, shaking his right fist angrily at Sai. Jiraiya and Kakashi stayed quiet, eyeing each other once, not believing what they're seeing. The blond down there was no ordinary blond, that's for sure. That blond is an exact splitting figure of Namikaze Minato in his younger years. The former Yondaime Hokage. The man who once was Jiraiya's student and Kakashi's sensei. What shock them the most is how the blond examining the ground with what seems like regret and anger on his face.

"Aizen and co was here all right, this place reeks of hollows…" the blond's nose wrinkles with distaste and disgust. "So many arrancars…if only I had the power to stop them from coming here…I didn't want to come back here like this."

Thunder rumble from above and the shinobis look up, surprise to see lighting when the sky was clear just moments ago. In a flash, Minato disappeared from the spot he was standing.

"Where did he go?" Naruto asked. Then they tensed when they felt a presence behind them.

"You know…" Minato began from behind the shinobis. "This kinda reminds me of my genin test with you, Jiraiya-sensei." Needless to say, three of the five in the group failed to connect their kunais with the lone blond. Minato was already back standing at the spot where he first entered. "Right, it's nice to see you guys again too. You could have stayed down here when I was coming you know. It's not like I'm going to attack you guys."

"Should we go?" Sakura asked, uneasy and surprise how easily the blond could sneak past them so easily. He could have them killed if he wanted to.

But he didn't.

Does that mean he's not an enemy?

"…When we get down there, stay right behind me," Jiraiya ordered. "Kakashi and I will tell you if we need help or not if the kid down there is a threat or not." The teen shinobis nodded in response and jumped down the branch, landing a distance away from the lone blond. Minato smiled back at them, seeming a bit warmer than he was moment ago.

"It's been almost sixteen years," Minato began. "You gotten older, Jiraiya-sensei. Kakashi, last time I saw you, you were probably about the height I am now." Then his eyes met Naruto's and sadness crept in. "And Naruto…you've grown…and I missed out so much of your life…" Naruto was surprised how his look-alike seem to know about him and he knows nothing about the newcomer.

"Do I know you?" Naruto asked. Minato flashed a strained grin.

"Maybe, maybe not," Minato replied. Before Naruto could protest at Minato's cryptic answer, Jiraiya asked Minato.

"Are you really him?" Jiraiya asked.

"What do you think?" Minato asked then paused. "We had a drinking contest once," Minato began fondly. "You lost to me and the bath house was perverted-free for two weeks." Naruto made a face.

"How in the world did you pull that off?" Minato blinked and then laughed.

"It was either that or I'll rat the man out for plotting to peek at Tsunade-san again," Minato replied with a wide grin on his face. "If you haven't heard about it yet…he almost died the first time he was caught."

"They don't need to know about that," Jiraiya grumbled.

"Aww…but it's always been fun to tease you," Minato replied, still grinning.

"Shut up, brat!" Jiraiya cried. The blond laughed.

"Riling you up was has always been a gift," Minato said as he slowly calmed down and his eyes shinned with amusement.

"B-but how is this possible?" Jiraiya asked. Minato's amusement never seems to have faded but the sadness was still there.

"This is not some crazy zombie reanimation just so you know," Minato replied. "But I can tell you my body is very much fake, not another shinobi body like the reports of Orochimaru's sickening jutsu. I'm only going to be here for only a short amount of time though. Don't expect me to be here forever."

"Wait a minute…what do you know about that hebi-teme?" Naruto asked.

"And what are you talking about being here for a short amount of time?" Sakura added. Minato paused.

"I should be reporting this to the current Hokage about this information but as a former student of Jiraiya, he has every right to know what's going to happen to his former comrade." Minato sighed. "Orochimaru has violated the realm of the dead and has supplied a traitor shinigami seals and hence I have been given the orders to execute him."

"'Traitor shinigami?'" Kakashi asked. Minato froze, and then face-palmed himself.

"I wasn't suppose to tell you _that_…" he muttered as he resisted the urge to go bang his head repeatedly on the nearest tree. "I guess I have no choice but to tell you the second part of the story for you guys too…"

"Like what?" The tone from Jiraiya sounded serious; Minato prefers to have the shock Jiraiya back right about now.

Then he felt it.

The presence of the Hollows.

"…How about I just show you the truth," Minato replied. Then faster than anybody could react, Minato turns half-way around with one hand gripping at the hilt of his blade and eyes narrowing dangerously. The teens shivered in fear as they felt the killing intent coming from the blond. Minato raise one arm aimed at the trees. "Hadou No. 01: Shou(Way of Destruction No. 01: Thrust)!" Suddenly, an invisible force thrust the trees, snapping them in half and out jumps three figures in white and the shinobis watch in amazement as they try to process how are those new comers manage to stay afloat.

"That little midget manage to spot up," one of the three white figures commented sourly.

"No shit," another one replied mockingly. "What tipped you off? That destruction spell."

"…He looks pretty weak."

"Who are they?" Jiraiya demanded to the lone blond.

"Bakudou No. 09: Geki(Way of Binding No. 09: Strike)," Minato chanted again, this time, he pointed at the shinobis. He watches as the five was quickly engulf by a red light, paralyzing them in place.

"What the hell is this!?" Naruto cried, struggling through the binds through no anvil.

"It's no use trying to get out of them," Minato shrugged as he pulled out five kunais out of his pocket and toss it at them. The weapons landed in a perfect pentagon shape like and Jiraiya noticed first of the seals and the complexity in them. "These are the only things that will keep you alive if anything were to happen to me, carry those back to Konoha and place those seals around the village."

"These seals are a bit peculiar," Sai commented. He was strangely calm but the other shinobis expected that from the pale ninja.

"I made them myself," Minato replied. "They will create powerful barriers to protect you until my comrades from Seireitei comes."

"Seireitei? Is that where you have been all this time? What are you trying to protect us from?" Jiraiya asked. "What the hell is going on here, Minato!? I want answers from you, now!" Minato raised his blade up at eye-level and slowly shifted his body to a defensive position.

"You want to truth…fine," Minato replied as he pushes his soul out of the gigai and he stood proudly with his black-and-white robes with the kanji number five on his haori. It wasn't as long as it was three days ago as the blond actually stopped during that time and readjusted the uniform's length. "Reporting: Goteijuusantai's shinigami goban tai taicho, Namikaze Minato. Objective: execute Orochimaru, defend the shinobi continent from the traitor shinigami and former goban tai taicho, Aizen Sousuke and his band of Arrancar…which is by the way distinguished by their white uniforms and broken masks…and if possible, protect the tailed-beast jailors from being converted into the traitor's ranks." The tone on Minato's voice was strict and serious, it was almost impossible to tell if he was tell a big fib or not and if all of this is just a scheme from Orochimaru himself.

Either way, the paralyzed shinobis will want their answers after this. They want a thoroughly explained answer about this for sure.

"Oh? These guys have a decent amount of chakra," one of them commented before licking their lips. "I'm sure Aizen-sama wouldn't mind us snacking on a couple of them." Their eyes level to Minato. "All we need to do now is to get rid of this annoying shinigami first."

"I'd like to see you try," Minato replied smugly. "Trust me when I say this: you'll be dead before you lay a hand on the living."

/-----------------/

Author's Rant: …There was like six different ways I could have written this part but I decided to stick with this one and in my opinion, it sucks. The only good thing that's happening to me now is that my college apps are finally done! It's finally over!!! Yay!

My mind was and still is down with the dreaded writer's block. Blame it…and my procrastination. XP


	6. The Planning

_If Plan A and Plan B fails,  
Pray that you have a Plan C ready._

Chapter 04 – The Planning

It was like a dance the shinobis noticed as Minato battled the three arrancars. Jiraiya and Kakashi recognize the stance the teen takes are the same ones their dear fallen comrade had many years ago. The strikes, the dodges, and the icy, calculating gaze that could chill a shinobi to the very core of their soul; everything about his former pupil is all there. There were a few notable changes: the appearance, the sword and the lack use of kinjutsu and ninjutsu used against the enemy. Especially the lack of using two notable signature moves the man has always had back then: the Rasengan and Hiraishin no Jutsu.

Jiraiya thought he just died and went straight to hell seeing the sheer display of raw power and speed 'Minato' and the three arrancars going at it for a while now. The pressure coming from just one stroke of the blade was just enough for the ground to split. The shockwaves of power went by each shinobis and they could certainly feel some unknown force crushing their very soul. It was no doubt the blades the four carried has a secret power in them. The Sannin may be a super pervert, but he's a very perceptive and insightful super pervert.

So far, his (possible, he still doesn't really believe it) former pupil seems to be holding his ground against them. Jiraiya has always mused that it's always the shorter fighters that could pull off narrow dodges and faster movements than taller ones. Minato is a tad shorter than Naruto his age and his assumptions were proven right as he could tell the Shunshin no Jutsu wasn't being used by any one of them; it was pure speed and foot movement. There were no puffs of smoke left behind and that is evidence enough that they weren't using a jutsu. Course, the conversation between the two fighting party was interesting also.

"Keep still!" Viper, the name of one arrancar they found later in battle, commanded. He swung his blade at the blonde. Minato shunpoed away; in order to create a distance between the arrancars and him.

"When I want to lose my head in the process, I might just do that," Minato replied dryly. The Sannin noticed the air of confidence around the blonde and the fatigue. Years of training in life and death, Minato has that same look…only it seem a bit duller than the last time he saw the blond. How much has Minato changed, he doesn't really want to find out. Yet, a part of him does as the blond's former sensei and fatherly figure.

"Oi, Ero-sennin," Naruto called out. "Do you really think that guy is going to win?" A giant explosion followed soon after the question left the blonde's mouth. Somewhere during that time, a charred arm was seen lying on the ground. Luckily, it wasn't Minato's.

"You fucking shinigami! You will pay for this!" the now one-armed arrancar, Gord(Minato believes it's the name of the arrancar) roared. The shinobis noticed a slight burn marks on Minato's hand but the blond still didn't show a sign of pain or weakness.

"This is dragging on far too long," the second arrancar, Senza, pointed out the obvious.

"Thanks, genius," Viper spat. "But your right, we should hurry and finish this bastard so we can destroy Konoha and those shinobis the shinigami is protecting."

"I don't care what you guys are talking about," Gord hissed, "I'm ripping this shinigami to shreds and get him back for what he did to my arm!" A sudden surge of reiatsu came from arrancars and Minato cursed mentally. Resurreccions.

"Destroy, Caos."

"Strike, Leviathan."

"Gouge, Lobos."

The pressure felt a lot stronger when all of a sudden the three white figures' appearances changed into something much more deadlier and feral looking. Minato almost fell to his knees again from the pressure. In truth, the blond had been afraid that the arrancars would unlock their powers sooner before he could kill them(he wished he had knocked on wood earlier). He didn't even want to use shikai even; using Byakko can be a taxing thing for him. Then his thoughts wandered to the shinobis behind him. Two he knows very well, one he knows but at the same time not really, and two others he knows nothing about other than the fact they are shinobis from his village. He could see the awe and fear in their eyes; it doesn't take a blind man to do so.

"Oi! What's going on!?" Naruto shouted, catching Minato's attention.

"Nothing much," Minato stated casually.

"That's what you called nothing much!?" Sakura cried. "Those guys just got stronger, didn't they?"

"It's nothing," Minato replied. "They just released their highest potential, but that has never bugged me much." He raised a hand at them. "Just go to sleep and when you wake up, you'll be back home. Hakufuku(White Crawl)." Suddenly, the five shinobis felt their eyelids become heavy. The binds on them loosen and Minato watched the bodies fall like flies.

"Pretty cold for doing, don't cha think?" Viper sneered. Minato turned back to face them.

"I didn't think it was," Minato replied. "It would be much better if they were out cold than to see how you're going to die next." Suddenly the atmosphere became thick and heavy. Minato came crashing down at the arrancars like waterfalls. "Bankai."

Screams of terror could be heard from the forest and villages within a three-mile radius could feel an aura of death looming over them.

/-----------/

Minato huffed with exhaustion as he carried hid himself among the trees outside of Konoha's gates and he watch the scene as Konoha shinobis found the bodies of Jiraiya and the others unconscious just outside of the gates. He mentally applauded himself for having the energy left to carry the humans just outside of his old village and he watch the shinobis gather the bodies and take them to the hospital to recover. A part of him wanted to enter the village at the same time, but it was dangerously risky seeing he looked like a replica of his own son(it was more like the other way around but he didn't seem to mind much) and those who recognizes him will alert the village of a teen Yondaime clone roaming the streets that isn't Naruto.

In short, chaos and confusion will ensue and Minato knows that Toushiro will have his hide for it for being the source of all the problems.

Speaking of which...

"Done with the other villages?" Minato asked, not turning around. Toushiro appeared next to Minato, looking slightly annoyed and tired at the same time.

"I finished placing the seals on the last village about an hour ago," Toushiro replied, examining the blond. "You look like shit."

"Thanks." Minato replied with sarcasm.

"...I felt that reiatsu spike, Namikaze," Toushiro began. "Has the reversal lessen your reiatsu control that much?"

"Appears so," Minato replied bitterly. "I can't par myself against three arrancars like I use to do, they released their blades and I had to use bankai to regain a decent amount of control again...and for the record, I put Naruto and the others to sleep before doing so."

"It's a good thing to not let them know," Toushiro nodded. "Still sane?"

"Do you honestly think that I'm too weak to control my zanpakuto?" Minato replied, offended.

"A tad bit," Toushiro replied. Minato knew the other was joking but that didn't stop him from glaring at the other.

"Cruel vindictive midget," Minato muttered.

"You know I heard that," Toushiro pointed out.

"I said it within your earshot for a reason," Minato stated with a grin.

"Brats...how I hate you all."

"But I'm your favorite," the broad grin widen.

Toushiro was so close on encasing the blond in a block of ice but decided against it.

"Whatever, the main thing right now is to do some political talk with your village council right now," Toushiro said, changing the subject. "A pain, but since this is your home village, you know how to deal with them better than anyone else." Minato snorted.

"If Danzou is in charge, then we have a problem," Minato pointed out. Toushiro frowned.

"Oh? Why's that?"

"He has views keeping Konoha safe a little bit to the far extreme side," Minato began. "I would have him kicked out of the council board if I he didn't have all those connections...and Sarutobi's former teammates sided with him with his political views so they're the infamous three-stooges of the council."

"Your council is too unbalance, I guess I should meet up with the council itself and help the current Hokage to fix the problem." Toushiro said thoughtfully.

"If the leader isn't sided with the ungrateful three, that is," Minato huffed. "So how are you going to get an audience with the council anyways?"

"By giving them something to fear about," Toushiro replied, drawing out his blade.

"...Is Hyourinmaru happy about this?" Minato asked, raising an eyebrow. "Being a messenger and all?"

"Of course not!" Toushiro snapped. "But for the sake of protecting this world, we'll cast aside our pride just to do so." The sky began to darken and snow began fall. "Souten ni zase, Hyourinmaru!(Sit upon the frozen heavens, Ice Ring)" Toushiro chanted, he pointed up at the sky and Minato looks up to see the magnificent ice dragon materialize and descend from the sky, roaring and soaring just right about the village. He jumped out of the tree and hover above the trees to see the villagers screaming and pointing at the dragon. Shinobis were in a defensive stance, unsure what to do or how they should fight against a dragon like Hyourinmaru. He peered further to see a familiar face stepping out and on to the roof of the Hokage's tower with the ANBU forces just behind them.

Tsunade!

Minato mentally cheered to know that a former is in charge and not under the control of a certain cripple.

"The Hokage isn't on the side of Danzou!" Minato informed to the diminutive shinigami. "We have a chance." He could see the relief in the other's eyes before he turned back to the village. Hyourinmaru spread out his wings and let out low grumble.

"Are you the Kage of this village?" Hyourinmaru questioned.

"Yes, but what is it that you want?" Minato heard Tsunade demanded at the dragon. Sensitive ears are really useful for long distance conversations.

"I am not here to fight," Hyourinmaru began. "It would be a waste of your people and I am here to send but a message for you."

"...From who?" Tsunade demanded suspiciously. "Kiri?"

"No, but we have passed them just the other day. My little…master, I suppose, wishes to have an audience with Konoha's council," Hyourinmaru stated. "Your village...no, your entire continent has landed itself into a war."

"What kind of war?" Tsunade asked, eyes narrowed more dangerously than before.

"The kind that will wipe out all you foolish mortals who won't heed our warning. We can help, if you let us," Hyourinmaru replied just as equally dangerous. The dragon paused for a moment, giving time for Tsunade to think for a moment. "What will it be, human?"

"We don't have that much of a choice, do we?" Tsunade asked. "Just why are you helping us?" Red glowing eyes look back at the sharp amber eyes.

"Rejoice to know that you have a guardian angel watching over you," Hyourinmaru replied. "This is my little one's response in helping that one person." The dragon began to fade though the dragon's eyes were still on with Tsunade. "Within two days, my other will approach this village and explain to you of this situation. I have a feeling you will know him when you see him."

"How will we know it's him?" Tsunade asked. The dragon seem to have a mocking smirk on it's face.

"He is 'like ice,'" Hyourinmaru replied. "That is all that you need to know about him." With that the villagers and shinobis watch the dragon disappear from existence but the snow remain falling down from the sky.

"Shall we have the shinobis scout the lands for the dragon's master?" an ANBU shinobi wearing a dog mask, asked Tsunade.

"No, it would be pointless when the dragon's contractor is coming here," Tsunade shook her head. "Let the owner come, and tell the clan heads to come in two days for a the meeting."

/-------------------/

"You don't seem to mind about the date," Toushiro said. "It gives us time to solidify our story and make a believable theory about your revival...and how you became an adolescent again."

"Two days is just enough for me," Minato began as he sat right next to a fireplace he set up when night fell. The two conveniently found a cave just four miles hidden in the forest made by Minato in his younger years. An hour earlier, Minato fished out a couple fishes from the stream a mile away from the cave and then he roasted the fishes on a stick. He joked how it wasn't as great as Kisuke's hideout but it will do. "I could just say I was tormented for years and I woke up one day and found myself in this body and you trained me." He examines one of the fishes and took a bite. "The fishes are done." He announced and handed Toushiro a stick fish.

"No, that will raise too many questions and your loyalty will be questioned..." Toushiro replied, taking a bite on his fish. "Like you told me once, Danzou will badger you, and judging by your current mentality, I doubt I'll be able to restrain you if you decide to go berserker on him."

"I am not that out of control," Minato huffed. "I feel hurt, Shiro-chan. You have no trust in me."

"I'll hurt you for real at this rate if you keep on calling me that," Toushiro grumbled. "You can tell everybody that you aren't whom they think you are."

"Jiraiya and Kakashi knows about me already," Minato pointed out. "It would be stupid to lie about it now."

"Swearing your council to secrecy then?" Toushiro suggested.

"That's our best option," Minato nodded. "Though, I have a feeling that Danzou will try and pull a fast one on you in the meeting."

"I like to see the foolish man try." Toushiro snorted. Minato threw his hands up in the air, completely frustrated.

"If you attack him, you'll have the entire shinobi community after you." Minato rolled his eyes. "His ROOT members will practically be his human shield. Like you told them, you don't want any unnecessary bloodshed."

"Shinobis here are worse than Soifon's Black Ops," Toushiro compared. Minato snorted.

"Pft," Minato snorted. "Shinobis are a hundred times better than Soifon's ops. You have to admit it. They have a wider amount skills and abilities the black ops don't have."

"I'm not complaining," Toushiro rolled his eyes. "Just be glad Soifon isn't here at all or she'll castrate you for sure." Minato waved off-handedly.

"You really think I care what she thinks?"

"The moment she pulls out her zanpakuto, I'm pretty sure you will," Toushiro said with a smirk as Minato paled slightly.

"Right…that two hit kill," Minato shivered. "Truth be told, I'm glad it's two hits. A one-hit kill would be a scary thing." Toushiro nodded in agreement.

"How did you feel when you finally saw Naruto?" Toushiro asked, changing the subject. He noticed the blond tensing but at the same time, he saw the relief in those blue eyes.

"He's grown up," Minato replied, smiling. It was a brilliant smile but the sadness crept back into the blond's eyes. "I just really wish I was there to see him grow up."

"I bet Naruto would have liked that," Toushiro nodded. "But that would be hard seeing that you couldn't have cross the barrier back then."

"I got over that, Toushiro," Minato said with conviction. "A person could dream."

"A dream like that can be used against you, Minato," Toushiro warned, shifting himself to feel more comfortable. "Best not to drown in them."

/-----------------------------------------/

"You're not pulling my leg here, are you?" Tsunade said, paling slightly when Jiraiya gave her his report of the crater the moment he woke up. Team 7 woke up the next day in the hospital, good to be discharged but Tsunade ordered Kakashi and Jiraiya to stay to review over their mission.

Like Kakashi and Jiraiya, she couldn't believe the things she's hearing.

"Would I have this look when I'm serious," Jiraiya said, the perverted sage wasn't smiling or grinning like an idiot. The man was dead serious.

"But that's impossible," Tsunade shook her head, "Even Orochimaru can pull a feat such as that."

"The way 'Namikaze Minato' fought the other day, it was all his style," Kakashi said, not looking up from his porn book. "And those three arrancars he fought against, they weren't human."

"Do you really believe a child could move like that or claim that he's a shinigami," Tsunade snapped. "Namikaze Minato is long dead from this world and if he was resurrected, he would have looked like his old self - his twenty-seven year old self. Not only that, you told me the shinigami of the underworld ate his soul as payment for sealing the Kyuubi into Naruto almost sixteen years ago. There's no way he could get past a god and you believe in a child who claims he's a shinigami and the former Yondaime. You even said so yourself, Jiraiya or do I have to pound some sense into that perverted brain of yours?"

"Life can throw a lot of twists," Jiraiya said. "But my guts are telling me that he is Minato. There was no doubt about it."

"And you agree with this guy?" Tsunade asked Kakashi.

"Agreeing with Jiraiya or not, I do not believe in ghosts," Kakashi stated. "It would take more than that to actually convince me."

"Then we'll have to keep a look out for him," Tsunade said, she could feel a headache coming up. "For now, I have to get ready for tomorrow's council meeting."

"What meeting?" Jiraiya asked. "I thought council would meet at the end of each month."

"Tomorrow we're having an emergency meeting with a foreigner," Tsunade began. "You missed out on seeing an ice dragon appearing above Konoha yesterday. The dragon has asked for an audience with the council and me. It's owner will be coming tomorrow to explain the details of a war that out entire continent has been dragged into." Jiraiya and Kakashi side-glanced at each other. "I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who believes that that mysterious owner has a relationship with 'Minato.' If your story lines up, that Minato you probably saw is the real one."

There was silence among the trio before Jiraiya finally spoke up, feeling a headache pounding his mind.

"The undead…war and my dead pupil being alive again as a shinigami," Jiraiya muttered. "Gah, I seriously need sake and I need it now." For once, the other two whole-heartily agreed with the white-haired Sannin. However, one question remain looming over their heads:

How will Naruto handle this?

/--------------------/

Two days has passed and Toushiro stood in front of the gates of Konoha and was immediately surrounded by masked ANBUs. He hid his zanpakuto for obvious reasons. Disinterested, he examined the mask each shinobi wore and found each mask represents different animals. Minato did say something about the masks representing the shinobi's persona.

It was a same though, none of them was wearing a dragon mask.

"I suppose you're the village's ANBU guards who works under the Hokage," Toushiro began. "Or do you work for the ROOTs instead?" Though the shinobis have barely moved, Toushiro knows that some of them were disturbed; both from his rigid glare and knowledge of the ROOTs. The one ANBU wearing a white cloak stepped forward, towering over the short shinigami, and Toushiro felt like he was under the microscope.

"Are you the one the ice dragon was talking about two days ago?" Toushiro figured who the male is; he's the taicho of the ANBU.

"The dragon's name is Hyourinmaru," Toushiro replied. "And yes, it is I who Hyourinmaru was talking about two days ago."

"What is your name?" The ANBU asked.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro," Toushiro replied, his eyes narrowed. "Like Hyourinmaru said, until I see the council, I will not tell you anymore information until I'm standing in front of the Hokage and the council themselves." For a moment, the shinobis were silent but minutes later; they cleared a path for him.

"We will be watching you closely," The ANBU taicho warned. "If you show signs of hostility towards any citizen of the village or any shinobi, we will not hesitate to attack." They vanished in a puff of smoke but Toushiro immediately sensed their reiatsu, they weren't that close but they weren't too far from him as well.

"I have no weapons," Toushiro stated aloud. "I came without any as a sign of neutrality. Do not think I am here to harm anybody. As Hyourinmaru told your Hokage, I am here to help and protect this village from harm. The only harm I'll probably do is telling the council off if they don't listen to reason…" Without another word, Toushiro began to make his way towards the Hokage tower.

/-----------------------------------/

Author's Rambling: Happy Chinese New Year. Best of wishes.


	7. The Ungrateful Trio

_As the Nara clan members would always say,_

'_Troublesome.'_

Chapter 05: The Ungrateful Trio

The council and Tsunade were silent entered as Toushiro entered the room. Their eyes followed the unknown teen and if anybody was shock to find the dragon's contractor was a child, nobody dare to raise their voice...yet. Toushiro stood in the middle of room where everybody has their eyes on him. A few moments later, Jiraiya entered the room as well, sitting down on one of the empty seats along with the others. More silence until female of the ungrateful trio Minato told Toushiro about finally end the silence.

"This is the one that controlled the dragon, Tsunade-hime?" Homura, as former teammate of Sarutobi, asked. Tsunade already knew where this was going to lead up to.

"I believe he is," Tsunade responded, her voice too held a bit of uncertainty.

"Believing doesn't confirm if the boy is the summoner of that dragon, Tsunade-hime," Sarutobi's former second teammate, Koharu said. Toushiro decided to interrupt the side conversation.

"My name is Hitsugaya Toushiro and yes, I am the wielder of the ice dragon, Hyourinmaru." Toushiro introduced with a deadpanned tone but it held authority; the kind of authority that has the 'Look at me funny and I'll stab you right between your eyes' meaning in it. "I'll do this quick since I have no desire to stand for the next couple hours listening to any arguments and annoying blabbing."

"However, we still do not have any proof you're the dragon's contractor," Yamanaka Inoichi pointed out. Toushiro scowled. Shinobis are really nosy people.

"As you wish," Toushiro replied as white energy began to surround him. A giant breeze of wind hit the council, the temperature immediately took a plunge, papers flew in every direction but the council could do nothing as the strange energy from the boy held them tightly in place. This wasn't chakra, they were sure of that; the power they were feeling is something completely different from what they use but it's just as effective and dangerous. Eventually, the energy molded and took form. Gasps can be heard, as an apparition of Hyourinmaru appeared, coiling around Toushiro loosely and protectively at the same time. The serpentine dragon's red eyes look down at the council, calculating them, then opening his jaws revealing it's sharp and ever so shining teeth before disappearing.

"That…was not any summon I've seen before." Sarutobi Asuma said, his cigar was on the verge of falling from the corner of his mouth. The room slowly regains its lost temperature and the council slowly recompose from the small shock.

"Hyourinmaru isn't a summon," Toushiro replied. "And getting down to business, I am from another dimension and originally it was my fellow colleague who was assigned to this mission to ensure this world's safety. However, he was injured in a battle and I unofficially joined him. We-"

Apparently the shock held on a little longer and it took a while for the council to register the boy's words. "_Where?_"

"…Is it really that hard to believe?" Toushiro scoffed. "Your ninjas have enhanced speed, strength, summons, hell – some of your jutsus allows you to spit fire. Not to mention nine bijuus made out of pure chakra and they're hell-bent on causing chaos. You don't believe in spirits of the dead?"

"We have never exactly seen a spirit walking among us," Akimichi Choza informed, sounding a bit uneasy.

"Understandable," Toushiro nodded. "But that doesn't mean spirits don't exist. You just can't see us…until that energy that impacted this continent. I was told that your shinobis: Jiraiya, Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto and two other shinobis my nakama wasn't able to identify was able to see his soul self and the three arrancars he fought." He turned to Jiraiya. "I'm pretty sure you remember that fiasco two days prior, he apologizes the fact he can't make it to this important meeting but his energy was drained away after carrying five unconscious shinobis back to the gates of the village." Jiraiya looked like he was going to have a heart attack there and then.

"You know him?"

Toushiro could feel a headache coming up and his mood went from annoyed to downright pissed off. Stupid Minato. That man will owe him a huge debt after this. If any, the shorter shinigami might just freeze the blond to the nearest chair and make him fill out his half of the paperwork the moment they get back to Seireitei.

"He's the recently assigned goban tai taicho and I'm the juuban tai taicho," Toushiro informed sourly. "We're colleagues, of course I know who he is."

"Who is this man you're talking about?" Koharu asked, his glass lens reflected under the light. Toushiro is an analytical type of person, from the tiniest facial expressions, movements and posture; he learned to read such things if he wants to live through the next fight. Shinobis are like gossipers; they want to be informed of everything that's going on.

"Your ex-Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, has become a shinigami of Goteijuusantai. He has been the agent of death for the past fifteen years."

For some reason that answer took a lot longer to process before the council broke out with more questions. Toushiro wondered how much his ears could take the abuse.

"That is impossible," Danzou stated. After minutes of yelling, Tsunade snapped and literally yelled at the council to be quiet or be ready to be booted out by the ANBU.

"It is," Toushiro said. "In entering Seireitei, Namikaze has a high level of reiryoku already rivaling most shinigamis in multiple divisions. So in response, the soutaicho gave him the permission to become a shinigami and not once has he disappointed Seireitei."

"This is-"

"Insane. A lie. Ludicrous. Mental. Impossible." Toushiro shrugged. "Those terms fit just fine. I would have probably feel that way to if I wasn't a shinigami and I have been told of the circumstances but everything I have been said are real. Dragons are known not to lie. We take pride of keeping our words, and Hyourinmaru will never forgive me if I don't keep my word of harming you and we're here to protect you."

"…Where is Minato?" Jiraiya asked. The council looked at the Toad Sannin with an incredulous look.

"You're willing to believe the words of a child?" Toushiro's left eyebrow twitched at those words.

"If you don't believe me at all…then I shall let Yamanaka Inoichi to read my mind," Toushiro said with irritation. Inoichi was surprise.

"You're willing to let a stranger to look into your memories?"

"Namikaze Minato has told me that you won't whole-heartily believe my words, but my memories can be use as evidence," Toushiro said with a matter-of-factly tone. "I'm willing to let you see the memories of his captaincy promotion and the battle that occurred a few days back…and the unfortunate result of arriving here." Though his face was expressionless, a small tinge of amusement is evident in his eyes.

"…Unfortunate?" Tsunade repeated.

"Inoichi can tell you once he sees that particular memory…if he has your approval of doing it now. I have nothing to lose, so hurry and decide." Inoichi glanced at Tsunade, and see the Hokage gave him consent. He got out of his seat and cautiously made his way to the teenager.

"If you really are a shinigami, I hope I'm not going to hell for this."

"Depends if you overstep your boundaries," Toushiro warned. A nervous chuckle, Inoichi could tell the kid was really serious.

"Right, prepare yourself," he said. He did a series of hand signs; Toushiro was a bit surprise at the speed the man's hands went but didn't show it, this was really his first time to see a shinobi doing hand seals. On the final seal, Inoichi closed his eyes, place a hand over the teen's head and feel his consciousness being pulled in.

…

Suddenly it felt very cold. Inoichi opened his eyes to find himself in frozen tundra. The wind blew with fierce velocity and the sun is cover by the dark clouds. The shinobi gapped as he saw from above is the fierce ice dragon flying above him, roaring loudly and the sound rang throughout the area. Toushiro appeared, standing two meters away from him, arms crossed, the same annoyed expression on his face but his eyes held some sympathy in them.

"I apologize of Hyourinmaru's appearance," Toushiro began. "I forgot to mention that my mind is different and what you see right now is the inner world of my subconscious. Hyourinmaru dwells in it."

"Inner world?" Inoichi barely recover enough to register the teen's information. The wind was so loud; he was straining himself to listen to the teen.

"Every shinigami has an inner world inside of them, but that explanation is for me to give in another time, right now we have to get you out of here before you freeze." With a wave of a hand, the scenery began to change and a dim warm room replaced the ice scenery. Inoichi stood next to Toushiro and examined the eleven other figures in the room. He guessed the man with the long beard and cane is the commander, the authority radiating from him is unparallel. He also saw a memory Toushiro standing between two other figures, the black shihakushou and white haori serves as their uniform, Inoichi figured.

"Is that man your leader?" Inoichi questioned.

"Do not judge that man by his appearance," Toushiro said, it sounded more like a command. "The soutaicho and two other taichos in this room has been around serving the Gotei for almost two-thousand years." Inoichi paled but Toushiro paid no heed. "Now watch, Minato is coming soon." Immediately the scene came to life, moving and the event unfold for Inoichi to see.

"_Although a year has passed, the war is still continuing as Aizen Sousuke has evade our capture a month ago. The traitors Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname have been caught and properly executed. Seireitei is still in the mist of chaos as two of the thirteen taicho seats are still empty and recently Abarai Renji has taken the position as the sanban tai taicho," Yamamoto-soutaicho began. "As of now, the fifth and ninth captains are without captains. About week ago, two captains and I were called to observe the Captain's Qualification Examination and found one suitable shinigami for job. May the new goban tai taicho of the Gotei 13, Namikaze Minato, please enter." Most of the captains turn their head to the door to see the new captain entering._

Inoichi heard the door opening behind him; he turned around and his jaws involuntarily hang from his mouth. Across the room is the former Yondaime himself.

"Oh dear kami, you got to be pulling my leg," the mind-reading shinobi muttered.

_Minato entered the room with a calm expression on his face_(the memory walked right through Inoichi not noticing the shinobi even once). _He stopped, standing in the middle of the other captains. Then he gave everybody a warm and sincere grin. _

Inoichi realize it's the same grin the man use to give to back when he was alive.

"_Good morning," Minato began with a cheerful expression. "I'm Namikaze Minato and it's an honor being the new taicho of the Gotei 13. I'll give it my all in performing my duties and orders as taicho of the fifth division." _

The scene froze and then faded away, Inoichi realize he was back in the tundra again. Toushiro looks at Inoichi, a bit curious. The shinobi did look like he was in shock.

"I told you he's a shinigami now," Toushiro began. "You shouldn't be surprise about this."

"It's still awkward seeing somebody dead," Inoichi replied. "We have seen a jutsu that can reanimate the dead three years ago, but the one summoning them back from the dead can also control them. I believed in souls since then but I didn't believe in gods."

"Now you do," Toushiro replied.

"Does this mean…Minato's a god?" Toushiro paused.

"Yes and no," Toushiro replied. "A shinigami is the title humans gave us but to us, it is merely a name. That is all it is to us and we are who we are."

"…"

"Let's go to the next memory, shall we?" the scene changed again. From a field of ice, the scene changed to an endless white desert. There are figures in black and white fighting at both sides. The war was evident because of the bodies lying on the floor and blood dyed on the desert.

"This happened only a few days ago?" Inoichi asked. Toushiro nodded with confirmation.

"Namikaze-taicho and I entered the dome and found that the fight outside was just a diversion, Aizen was using the fight for time his device to collect enough energy to open up a portal to this world," Toushiro explained. "If anything, tell that to your Hokage's ears only. This is highly classified information and from what Namikaze has informed me, spilled S-classified information results in death. You are only here to confirm your Yondaime's existence." The memory began to move and Inoichi began to watch both sides spilling blood. From a distance, he could see the memory Toushiro fighting, releasing a huge wave of the same energy he released back at the meeting.

"Bankai. Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" Toushiro chanted. Ice flow onto the boy shinigami, giving him a pair of ice wings and a tail. A dragon's head formed around his sword hand, ice encased the other in a form of a claw and his feet were encased in the same manner. Three flowers appeared right behind him, floating innocently despite of the harsh battle around them.

"Don't tell anyone about bankai," Toushiro warned. "I'll be sure to hurt you if you did."

"As you wish," Inoichi said, he didn't doubt the boy's words at all.

_A couple minutes later, the enemies were encased in a block of ice before fading from existence. A couple moments later, a woman with long strawberry-blond hair, and noticeably huge assets_(Inoichi has a feeling it can be comparable with Hokage-sama's)_ appeared next to Toushiro._

"Don't stare at my fukutaicho's assets. I'm pretty sure you're a married man by now," Toushiro ordered, not even looking at the shinobi at all. Inoichi gapped.

"She's a fukutaicho!?"

"Yes and unfortunately the laziest one in existence," Toushiro replied dryly. "But she's a loyal fukutaicho." Inoichi noticed a hint of pride in the shinigami's tone.

"_Taicho, Ukitake-taicho has order confirmation to invade the dome," she informed. "Namikaze-taicho is already inside." Toushiro nodded solemnly. _

"_Take care of the division," Toushiro ordered. "And Matsumoto be careful." _

The scene changed and he was standing in a white room and Inoichi first notice is the furious expression on Minato's face. It was directed at the group on the other side of the room. "And we begin with the next scene," Toushiro said, "Sorry, but I have to leave out the ending proportion of this memory." The scene began to move and the two watch the scene unnoticed.

"_Those…those seals are ninja seals!" the man cried, completely livid and his reiatsu leaked out of his body like a waterfall. "You…you stole them from the Shinobi Continent!"_

"_Do you understand what they can do?" Toushiro asked. Minato shook his head slightly indicating a no but in his guts, he had a bad feeling about them._

"_These seals were provided to me by a snake," Aizen reply metaphorically. "It was a simple task to convince missing-nins in exchange for power." The word 'snake' registered in Minato's mind and he quickly made the connections._

"_Orochimaru." He hissed. _

"Orochimaru is helping that man out!?" Inoichi cried, slightly alarmed.

"Assistance for the secrets of immortality," Toushiro replied. "Though, I doubt Aizen's secret of immortality is the same definition as the snake's."

"_Just what is it that you want from the other side?" Minato asked. Aizen gave him a cruel smile._

"_Why should I tell something like that to a being inferior to me?" he replied, releasing his spiritual pressure. The trio struggle to stand as the same with the espadas and arrancars. Minato caught a glance at Aizen drawing his blade and disappearing. His training he received as both a shinobi and shinigami allow him to track the man no matter how fast he went, he expected the man to go after him but instead Aizen did the opposite._

"_Hitsugaya, watch out!" Minato cried, pushing a healthy dose of reiatsu to his legs to negate the effects of Aizen's. He instinctively shunpo and tackle the shorter shinigami down, saving his friend but with a price as he felt blood pouring down his side._

"_Namikaze!" Toushiro cried out, the normally stoic taicho felt frantic for the first time in a while seeing the blonde bleeding heavily._

"_Impressive. You were able to break free from my spiritual pressure," Aizen stated the matter as if it was a bad thing. "You have gotten stronger since I last saw you in Tousen's division as a third-seat...but then again, you could have just easily overpower any fukutaicho when you wanted to. Maybe a taicho even without a bankai through that tainted soul of yours."_

"_Hypocrite…" Minato snarled, one hand holding his profusely bleed wound. "If you go to the other side, I will personally hunt you down and kill you."_

"Tough words for a child whose about to die," Aizen states. "Why do you bother using such strong words when you're at the weakest?" Aizen made his way casually back to the device. "If you must know, Minato-kun, I've been looking into the subject of Jinchuurikis and the monsters residing in them." The man looks at them with cruel and cold glance of victory. "And the power they will have if I were to change them into a hollow. They'll make a fine group of espadas, won't you agree? And the Kyuubi no Kitsune… he'll make a greatest espada of them of all."

The scene disappeared and the two stood in the middle of the frozen tundra again.

"They're after Naruto," Inoichi said in disbelief.

"The Kyuubi is known to posses unlimited chakra, in death, it would mean that it could posses unlimited reiatsu," Toushiro explained. "And reiatsu is the energy of the dead."

"I know that!" Inoichi exclaimed, and then his voice lowered. "About the unlimited energy part anyways." He looks down at the shinigami. "Is Minato all right with his injuries?"

"It healed pretty quick," Toushiro said. The scenery changed. "This will be the final scene you'll be seeing before you leave." This time they were standing in the middle of the forest. In front of them were two unconscious bodies. Inoichi recognize Toushiro as one of the bodies and the other one is…a younger Minato. _A teenage Minato._

"You got to be kidding me."

"When you're dead, a lot of weird things can happen," Toushiro replied. "Minato turning back into an adolescent upon coming back home is one of them." He paused for a moment. "Now get out." Suddenly the world turned back and Inoichi found himself back at the council room. Toushiro became aware of that too moments later and turned to the silent council. A moment later, Tsunade finally asked.

"Well?" Inoichi opened his mouth a couple times; unable to find his voice until the fifth time he could finally speak.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro is telling the truth, Namikaze-sama is a shinigami and the arrancars he was talking about is confirmed in his memories," the man replied.

"I see," Tsunade said, thinking for a moment before turning to Toushiro. "Where is Namikaze Minato as of now?"

"Being creative," Toushiro replied. "Once a seal master, always a seal master. I do not have to explain what that means."

"I see…" Tsunade nodded. "You'll leave now and the council will decide if we should trust you or not. You can wander around the village but the ANBU will be watching your every move."

"I'll do my best ignoring them," Toushiro replied, turning his back at the council. He walked out without saying another word.

/----------------------------/

It was easy in ditching the ANBU the moment Toushiro took a gikongan pill and casted Bakudou no. 26: Kyakko(Way of Binding No. 26: Curving Light) onto himself. No doubt if the shinobis could see Minato, they can definitely see him in his soul form.

"Wander around the village until the ANBU tells you to head back to the council." Toushiro ordered and the gikongan nodded slightly, understanding. Then the shinigami shunpoed away, last night, Minato and him finalized their 'jobs' for today.

He would go and meet with the council, agreeing to reveal the existence of the shinigamis…and allow Yamanaka Inoichi to read his mind. Then threaten them in the process just for a good measure…Danzou will dispatch some of his ROOT members to investigate him. Leaving a gikongan in the gigai is fine. The personalities have changed for the better(after filing multiple complaints how terrible the old gikongans performed). It was a pain arguing with the Women's Society, but eventually they gave up. The latest gikongan that was developed is almost similar to his sharp and aloof personality so it was safe to leave the mod soul to wander for a while.

Minato will be heading back home to find scrolls back in his old home. Using reiraku(spirit threads) as his guide, finding the blond shinigami was fast. Eventually he stopped in front of a mansion and was surprise. The building was big and grand; it's a shame however that the building looks a bit run-down and the plants have covered the place throughout the years. The mansion door opened and closed and Minato appeared in front of Hitsugaya, showing the white-haired boy a giant burlap bag filled with scrolls.

"So how did the it go with the council?" Minato asked, looking as if he was talking to no one in particular. Eventually, Toushiro dropped his spell, appearing in front of the blond with his arms crossed.

"They're a nosy bunch," Toushiro replied. "Not even five minutes into the meeting they want to see Hyourinmaru." Minato chuckled slightly.

"Same old council…and the ungrateful trio?"

"You said they have been there since the Sandaime's reign, right?" Minato nodded. "It's a wonder why didn't Tsunade or you kill them yet."

"I have to follow shinigami rules now and Tsunade…I bet she's drinking sake again to drown out her anger," Minato said thoughtfully. Teal eyes rolled.

"Great…a Hokage version of Matsumoto," Toushiro muttered. "That's just what a village needs."

"Matsumoto doesn't have a terrible gambling addiction," Minato pointed out. "Otherwise your division will be in a huge debt." A scowl graced Toushiro's features.

"I hope she doesn't develop one anytime soon." He decided to change the subject. "What did you exactly get in from your house?" Minato looks at his bag and rummaged out a scroll out of it, giving it to Toushiro.

"Scrolls," Minato replied. "These are mostly my notes I wrote down when I was alive. They're all coded so I can translate them and use them as reference to make more seals."

Toushiro opened a scroll and skim through the notes for moment before glancing at Minato.

"…It's rubbish."

"It's coded!" Minato insisted, snatching the scroll back, and a tinge of red can be seen on his cheeks, most likely from embarrassment.

"Then don't hand me something coded," Toushiro replied.

"Then I'll be heading back to inside the house," Minato announced. "I didn't exactly collected all the scrolls inside and the years of dust cloaking them wasn't a big help."

"Have fun doing that," Toushiro said. Minato grinned, his embarrassment forgotten.

"Good luck with the council," Minato said, turning back to the council. "Don't let Danzou and the other two get under your skin. If any, tell them your real age or threaten them with death. After all, most legends here about the shinigamis are that upon seeing one means death to that person. They don't know that we are not allow to kill a living human unless ordered to."

"…Shinigami legends are far too overrated," Toushiro replied.

"But it goes to our advantage," Minato grinned. Toushiro didn't reply but he inwardly agreed. He shunpoed out of there before Minato can say goodbye. "Same old, Toushiro…" he muttered before turning around to the garden. He remembered a red-head kunoichi who use to rest under the biggest tree in the garden and smile back at him when he comes home for lunch and work. He shook those thoughts out of his mind. "I miss you, Kushina." His casted the Kyakko before he enters back into the mansion.

/-----------------------/

Author's Rant: Uh huh…I feel like crap about this chapter. Family is getting sick, I haven't fallen to the illness yet but I think I pulled a muscle on my left thigh and it's annoying. I have so many things to do too, so I rushed and this feels like a freaking filler. I'm so screwed in more ways than one.


	8. Reluctance

_So many idiots,  
So little time to kill them._

Chapter 06: Reluctance

Toushiro entered the council room at the wrong as he noticed the aura of anger around the Hokage and the three senior council members. He could tell that the decision-making is at a standstill or that they made one really stupid decision that would end up hurting the village itself. Danzou and the other two has a tendency of doing that, apparently. The ungrateful trio may have the best of interest for Konoha in mind, but they seem to be more into having a war than keeping peace.

"We have come to a decision of accepting the help of the shinigamis," Tsunade said, nodding. "We also agreed that Namikaze Minato and you could stay in the village but there are…conditions you would have to follow." Toushiro raise an eyebrow.

"There are rules and laws even shinigamis has to follow," Toushiro informed. "If those rules conflict your conditions, then we shall not follow them. I'm a stickler for our laws than human laws."

"I see," Tsunade said. "Then I'll tell you the conditions the council has asked for and you can tell us which ones you can follow and how we be lenient towards the one in the you can't follow."

"…Fair enough." A noticeable aura of relief can be felt throughout the room and Toushiro guessed that they didn't think he would agree to anything.

"We have only four conditions," Tsunade began. "The first one is that Namikaze or you have to report to us when are you leaving the mission and why. That or plans in which you are to take action next."

"…That is agreeable," Toushiro began. "But we will not go into detail of our mission," Toushiro warned. "I hope you can understand that not all information can be shared between the living and the dead. Shinobis are known for their secrecy if I might add and we shinigamis have the rights to have our secrets as well. " There were a few mumbles here and there but a signal of reluctant agreement was there.

"Two: do not draw too much attention to the village," Tsunade said. Toushiro almost glare at her. Did she not notice the color of his hair or the reiatsu around him? He stands out enough as it is.

"We'll try to do that…" he grumbled.

"Third is that you abide by most of our laws here in the village, hopefully Minato has told you about them." Tsunade said. "Or we can give you the rule book after this."

"I know the most important one is to not attack the citizens," Toushiro replied. "But if they were to attack me, I'll personally disarm, bind and take them to you for punishment." Tsunade had to squash the smirk that was trying to appear on her face, she's beginning to like this sarcastic shinigami.

"The last request?" Toushiro asked impatiently. Tsunade hesitated and Toushiro calculated that what she's going ask him something that would upset him for sure. She didn't want to say the next thing and knowing why, she's forced to.

Damn, just how messed up is the political powers of the village anyways?

"Tell the _boy_ the last request," Koharu ordered, and immediately she earned the coldest glare by the diminutive shinigami could give to her(as of the moment).

"Most likely the last request was suggested by the you three senior council members," Toushiro deducted. "If it's a bad request, my anger will be directed towards her and nobody else. This isn't the first time I've seen this in politics." The temperature dropped just a tad bit. "And don't call me a boy, _little girl_. I'm five times older than you are and I've been in political matter long before you were even born."

"However, we still believe that we are receiving the short-end of the bargain," Danzou voiced, earning a harsh glare from the Hokage but ignored it. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? How are we giving you the short end of the deal?" His voice is flat and toneless just like before, making the council wondering if they're digging an early grave for themselves right now. "We're protecting you with our souls, and Namikaze is willing to sacrifice his soul twice. Despite of that, you still think we're giving you the short end of the deal." Nevertheless, Danzou is still challenging the short shinigami.

"Yamanaka may have entered your mind to see those memories but exactly how much are those memories are true?" A certain blond clan leader has to squash down the urge to attack the senior council for the insult. "Why didn't Namikaze appear with you for the meeting and how can we expect two shinigamis win against an army?"

"…You sound almost as if you expect us to lose against them," Toushiro replied calculating Danzou questions. "And you think I'm here to see you all die." The council tensed rigidly as they felt the familiar coldness. "A shinigami duty is to keep the balance of life and death in an equilibrium."

"You are still a stranger in this village," Danzou argued. "And strangers are not to be trusted."

"…So you believe Minato is a stranger?" Toushiro asked with an expressionless facade, his eyes never betray his emotions. "The very man who saved your soul from the Kyuubi almost sixteen years ago and the boy who he wished that you all see as a hero becomes a scapegoat for hatred. He trusted you all but you were the ones who betrayed him." The council members tensed. "Do not think Minato's soul wasn't there in the meetings you all voiced on killing Naruto. Don't think you know his soul wasn't there screaming at you when you were so close on voting for the death of Naruto and…" Toushiro's eyes flashed a glare of promise pain and death to the council. "Don't think he'll be all to happy on seeing you all as well. In my eyes, you should be seen as the strangers, not him. Do not think I'm really doing this out of the kindness of my heart, human," Toushiro began. "I really don't care if you die or not; I personally don't like spending my time dealing with a bunch of suspicious shinobis. However, Aizen wants your souls for his army as food and that's the sole reason I'm helping the living." His eyes narrowed. "Your last request…I don't need you to tell me, I can easily guess it. You want to ask if I can train a few shinobis personally, am I right?" His tone sounded a lot dangerous than any of the other times he had spoken to the council. Hesitantly, Tsunade reluctantly nodded. "I can't train a human out way of fighting."

"But Namikaze-"

"He's dead," Toushiro cut off curtly. "He had the power and making of a shinigami _after_ he died. It's true shinigamis learn the same basics and fundamentals but the real learning comes from their partnered spirits and no two shinigamis have the same spirit. I could tell you now, just go on with your daily life doing what you humans normally do in this village, Namikaze and I will do what we can do for the village and protect this continent from the hollows and arrancars. I would prefer if you accept fewer missions for the safety of your shinobis. You're only sending them to their deaths if you don't take my advice to consideration."

"We understand," Tsunade said sharply, eyes shine with relief knowing that she wasn't pressured or threatened by Toushiro at all, the young-looking shinigami has a killing none that she has ever felt before. It's either that or she's extremely happy that a boy-shinigami just chewed out the disabled war hawk. Figuratively, of course, it's a shame he didn't do literally. He pivoted, heading towards the door, surrounded by a wave of dignity around him. "If that's pretty much for the meeting, then I shall leave and explore Konoha just a little bit longer. For now but I prefer if that you keep this as a triple S-class secret. Those who break that…we'll see how creative Hyourinmaru can be." He didn't have to turn around to see the council members shiver involuntarily at the thought and opened the door.

Before he even took a step out, a howls rang throughout the village. The cries sounded hungry and violent, thirsty for blood.

"What was that?" Hyuga Hiashi finally questioned Toushiro. The shinigami turned around to the council with a neutral expression.

"That was a cry of a hungry hollow," Toushiro replied. "Looks like my first mission is here in the doorsteps of Konoha. I was hoping Aizen would make a move much later on but I should have expected this scenario." Without another word, he shunpoed out of the building and towards the direction of the cries.

/-----------------------------------/

Somewhere in a pile of scrolls, Minato sneezed and cloud of dust surrounded him. The piles and piles of dust meant that this place hasn't been touched for many, many years meaning Jiraiya and Kakashi hasn't visited this place for a long time now(For obvious reasons). Nobody else would dare enter the house itself to look for his work due to the ancient barrier his family placed up a long time ago(he was told of his as a young child). The Namikaze was never a large clan when they existed in Konoha. Many had died before or during the Third Shinobi War leaving Minato as the last member. Then he died and now Naruto is the sole living Namikaze left without any knowledge of his origins…assuming nobody has told the boy his heritage yet. He felt annoyance stirring in the back of his mind and Minato's thinking look turn to an annoyed one.

"Shut up, Byakko," he mutters as he scan through his scrolls.

'_If you are so worry about the boy, why don't you see him already!?'_ Clearly his spirit hasn't been taking his daily naps. _'I heard that!'_ Minato winced.

"I don't know…" Minato began. "If he sees me now, he might be able to make a connection with just about…everything." They could be passed as twins – save for the fact that Minato doesn't have whiskers – the adults wouldn't have that much of a problem in making the connections. He was…afraid? Yes, it's probably the most logical thing the blond can make out so far. Afraid that his son will hate him, detest him…and plausibly be rejected.

'_If he's more like your mate, he'll be much slower than you think.'_ Minato could hear the spirit's distaste and the blond scowls back.

"Say that again and I'm coming back in there and pound you to the ground, Byakko." He threatens. The voice chuckled deeply, amused with the blond's challenge.

'_Tough words coming from you as of the moment and didn't you vow when you can reassure the safety of everybody's, you'll meet your son when you can.'_ Amusement can be felt through their bond and Minato had to bite down his tongue when he felt someone just outside of his (abandoned) home. He ignored his spirit's rambling and focused on the stranger. It wasn't Toushiro, that's for sure, and nobody knows that he's in the village anyways. He heard the front door open and close, it was a soft click but Minato sensed the stranger coming in. His eyes narrowed and under his Kyakko spell, he shunpoed downstairs with a kunai in his hand. In the living room, it was Jiraiya standing in the middle of the living room.

"Jiraiya?" he called out. The toad Sannin jumped before recomposing himself.

"Minato?" he called out, not being able to see his former student at all. Minato eventually dropped his spell appeared in front of the Sannin. He had to duck to dodge his sensei's automatic reflex when the older man pulled out some sharp kunais. Minato doubt his gigai would feel that much pain but he didn't like the thought of the old pervert having a heart attack because of him standing there with three kunais embed in his body and he's waving it off as if it was nothing.

"Wow sensei, you're easy to scare…" Minato said off-handedly. "So you got out of the meeting with a Kage Bunshin?"

"I have chest pains now, Minato. _Chest pains._ And at the rate this keeps up, you better hope your shinigami powers can revive the dead or I'm kicking your scrawny ass back to where ever that place you have been in this last fifteen years." Jiraiya threaten as he has his hand over his heart. Minato grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, by now I thought you would be use to my disappearing and reappearing act after all those times I used the Hiraishin in front of you," Minato said in a not so sorry voice. "And…shinigamis aren't allow to bring the dead back to life. Once your chain of fate breaks off, of course." Jiraiya sighed.

"You haven't changed one bit, have you, Minato?"

"It depends on the changes you're talking about," Minato shrugged. "Anyways, how did you find out that I was here?"

"Your partner said you were 'being creative.' Your home is where you're usually the most creative…before you blow yourself up with whatever new you're creating." Minato huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at his former sensei.

"I don't blow myself up, sensei." Minato corrected. "They're just scientific miscalculations."

"That's what you said when you rammed yourself to a tree with your Hiraishin on your first run." Jiraiya snorted. Minato's expression darkens but it didn't phase the old man one bit. The Sannin let out a loud obnoxious laugh and ruffled the blond's hair. "You haven't changed one bit, gaki." After a while, the embarrassment faded and the blond's expression turns morbid. Jiraiya noticed and slowly his laughter died down to a forced cough. "What's on your mind now, Minato?" Almost looking as he just snapped out of a trance, Minato look up with an innocent face.

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. Just something that I have been reminded of." The both of them and they sat down on the old dusty sofas. "So how was your meeting with Toushiro-jiji?" Obviously he didn't want to stay with that subject for too long.

"…You actually call that gaki a jiji?"

"He's hitting his three-hundred year mark soon, old enough to be my and your great-great-great grandpa," Minato shrugged. "Hanging out with Toushiro all these years made me immune to most of his threats and frosty reiatsu. We're sparring partners, most of the time." Jiraiya blinked once and shook his head.

"You always seem to be the type who would befriend with geniuses and giant spirits." Jiraiya frowned "You don't have one…do you?" Minato laughed.

"Of course, Byakko is my spirit," Minato replied. "Every shinigami has one as their partner. They can take just about any forms…from looking like humans, animals, and mythical creatures, like Toushiro's dragon. In a sealed state, they look like normal blades."

"Why didn't you attend the god-forsaken meeting?" Jiraiya grumbled. "When that dragon appeared, I thought I was going to be it's next meal or something…"

"Yeah…and have a squad of ANBUs holding a kunai against my neck," Minato said with a deadpanned-tone. "You know Danzou hates me, ever since I became a Hokage, he'll make every reason that's illogical and stupid to claim I'm a fraud. I could just bind the guards down like what I did to you but that'll worsen the situation." He paused for a moment. "The dragon's name is Hyourinmaru and you should be more formal in addressing Hyourinmaru when they're around. I learned the hard way." Jiraiya blinked.

"The world is mad," Jiraiya finally said. Minato grinned.

"Everybody is mad in their own way, sensei. If you think Toushiro and I are mad, I suggest you to meet Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi. They're the residence powerhouse fighter and mad scientist captains," Jiraiya blinked slowly before sighing, obviously tired from soaking in the newfound information he's getting today.

"This is just too much," Jiraiya muttered. "Seeing you again after all these years…find out we're now official meals for evil spirits and you! You became a shinigami!" He paused for a moment, thinking. "We're dead, aren't we?"

"Uh …sensei, you're overreacting," Minato said sheepishly. "I already have a barrier up for the entire village, no spirits can enter or exit the village unless they have one of my counter seals."

"It doesn't sound too reassuring," Jiraiya muttered. "If it's a test seal, then I have every reason to be afraid."

"Sensei!" Minato scowled. Jiraiya raised his hands up in defense.

"I was just kidding about that," Jiraiya defended. "Sheesh, you still can't handle a joke just like back then." A frown graces the Sannin's face. "Exactly how did you become a kid again?"

"Long story…" Minato muttered. Jiraiya took a seat on one of the dust-covered sofa.

"We have some time…I hope," Jiraiya said. "And while you're at it, could you tell me there's any hot girls over there in the after life?" Minato rolled his eyes.

"Still a hopeless super-pervert…it's good to know you haven't changed that much too, sensei." Just when he's about to sit down, an ominous echo can be heard from a distance, alerting the shinigami immediately. Jiraiya notice and it could only mean one thing.

"The hollows are here, aren't they? The ones you fought and what your partner explained to us about?" He watches with morbid fascination as Minato's soul exited the boy, and the blond is don in the shinigami attire with a sword strap behind his back. Minato turn to Jiraiya, his eyes serious and the cheerfulness were replaced with determination.

"Yeah," Minato finally replied. "I truthfully hoped that the hollows wouldn't have come for another couple days. The barrier I place will protect the village. Just don't cross it…and Jiraiya?" The Sannin look up, questioning. "Don't follow me."

Jiraiya felt uneasiness in the pit of his stomach as he watches his student vanish from sight and a sense of déjà vu all over again.

'_Don't follow me.'_

Those were the same damn last words his student had said before going against the nine-tailed fox years ago. With out realizing it, he's already out of the building and blindly following his student without a second thought. He knows from Minato's battle and Toushiro's speech he was useless against hollows, but he'll be damned if he's left behind again like last time.

/----------------------------/

Author's rambling: …I would have updated this soon if my Internet didn't die on me. Damn it. I feel so bad; I'm rushing this chapter. Not only that, I feel like writing a vampire fic for Naruto. I have no pairing on that so far; I probably might not have one at all.

I'm still having a spaz moment from the latest chapter of Naruto. Finally, a father-son reunion! Though I'm pissed as hell it's only two pages!


	9. The Shinobis, Shinigamis and Arrancars

_The wrath of a sleeping fox is worse than the wrath of a sleeping dragon.._

Chapter 07: The Shinobis, Shinigamis and Arrancars

White masked monsters.

That's what the shinobis could describe those disfigured creatures roaring and banging their claws at an invisible barrier, the only defense that stands between the two opposing sides. Shinobis in from every rank stood before the monsters in terror. They have never face monsters like these before. A few shinobis ventured pass the barrier before everybody arrived and it was evident on the dirt floor that they didn't have much luck on exploiting any weaknesses and strengths.

"_**Foolish humans!"**_ The monsters roar as they slammed the barrier with their claws. _**"Don't think this barrier will keep up forever! It is weak, like all you insects!" **_

"Should we strike them?" If Kakashi was nervous, he didn't show it. Other shinobis were just as anxious as he is; it was déjà vu all over again with _that day_. The only difference between this time and last time is that they just had to fight one monster fifteen years ago, not several.

"Kakashi-sensei!" a familiar voice pierces through the jounin's train of thought and finds the other three Team 7 members behind him and they too involuntarily flinch at the sight of the monsters.

"What are they?" Sakura asks. "Are they like arrancars we saw the other day?"

"Their masks are not broken," Sai pointed out observantly. Naruto look at the hollows in horror as the monsters turn to him.

"_**He smells delicious…"**_ The monsters glowered. Naruto open his mouth to make a comment but was cut off when another hollow push viciously among the ranks, slamming the barrier with as much force it could muster.

"_**He's mine!"**_ one of the cried darkly, howling fiercely. Another masked monster attack the hollow who was attempting to break the barrier with the thought that it's trying to get to the meal first before all the others. Soon, other monsters follow the same routine as some attempts to eat another and others trying to break the barrier down with their claws and brute strength.

'_Should we really do something?'_ This thought ran through the mind of every shinobi present. These monsters seem to have no problem on killing each other.

Before they could even voice any suggestions, a sharp voice pierces through the area, and a familiar ice dragon descends from the sky.

_"Souten ni zase, Hyourinmaru!"_

In mere seconds, almost a good numbers of masked monsters were turned into giant ice statues, in front of them is a short white-hair teen wearing a shihakushou with a white haori over with the kanji 'ten' on the back and the sword glinted dangerously under the sun.

"Hm. After fighting with arrancars this past year, I'm actually disappointed Aizen sent out the weaker ones to do the job," the newcomer said with a flat tone. The hollows didn't pay much heed of the comment and charged.

"Hey! Watch out!" Sakura screamed. At the same time, a yellow flash passes her by, went by the shinobis, towards the monsters, and in a flash the remaining masked monsters were turning into black particles and floated upwards to the sky. Everybody held their breath with tension, another figure wearing the same uniform. The difference is the kanji 'five' on the back of the second newcomer's haori. What the shinobis noted is the shade of the second newcomer's hair and eyes is similar to their blond Jinchuuriki's while Team 7 paled.

Just one glance they know that's Minato again.

"You're late," Toushiro said, not even looking at Minato. The blond shinigami smile sheepishly.

"Ah, sorry. I was talking to an unexpected visitor before I even realized the hollows' presence." Minato admitted.

"That's a poor excuse for someone like you to make," Toushiro stated bluntly. "Especially one of your status."

"Sorry…don't add this to the report." Minato said sheepishly causing Toushiro to scoff irritably.

"Tch." The shorter shinigami didn't bother to turn to the shinobis. "His name's Jiraiya, right? You did tell him there is no need to follow you, right?"

"I did," Minato replied. "I guess, he was just worried and looks like everybody is coming for the festive display." At the cue, Tsunade appears along with her loyal ANBU guards and along with several clan leaders standing behind her with shocked and surprised expressions. It's not everyday they would see bodies of hollows vanishing. Jiraiya was the last to show and by then the last of the hollows' spirit particles disappear without a trace.

"Those things…" Tsunade trailed, unsure what to really say about those things.

"Are the hollows Hitsugaya-taicho most likely have explained to you about in the meeting already," Minato began with a cheery tone. "Fallen souls who feasts on souls of the living and dead. As shinigamis, we have the ability to purify them and ferry them to the afterlife. Good to see you too, Tsunade-san." For a moment, Tsunade thought she was pretty damn sure she was dreaming but decided against it when a newcomer enters.

"Eh? The hollows were killed by a pair of shinigami pipsqueaks?" A voice said with distaste. The shinobis looks up to see four broken masked figures above them, each with a blade in hand. Minato could feel the murderous aura from Toushiro when he was called a 'pipsqueak.' He could already feel a part of his arm going numb.

"Four arrancars?" Minato said with a dead panned tone. "Here, I really thought Aizen was going give us a challenge." That got the arrancars fired up; their murderous auras surround the area almost immediately.

"Are you calling us weak, shinigami!?"

"Want to prove us wrong, arrancar?" Toushiro said with the same calm tone he used during the meeting. Minato knows otherwise his partner is pretty annoyed, much more annoyed than he is(Well, Toushiro does have every right to after the talk with Danzou). "You're clearly not an espada-level arrancar, you're just weaklings in Aizen's eyes he doesn't need."

'_We didn't have to provoke them any further, you know,'_ Minato thought a bit grimly but otherwise held his tongue as he felt that asking that question will only irritate the other more.

"We're no ordinary arrancars, shinigami," one of the arrancars boasted.

"Shinobi souls, right?" Minato said before the other side could continue. "An arrancar born from a combination of shinobi souls or not makes no difference. You'll fall before laying a hand on the living." No sooner than those words left his mouth, blades clash and sparks fly.

/------------------------/

Back in Seireitei, it was chaos as the taichos and fukutaichos attended an emergency meeting. Kurosaki Ichigo, Urahara and Yoruichi attended as the three were in charge of the front in the living world. The past year, Ichigo has been active as ever in his shinigami duties in the war after escaping Hueco Mundo with everybody and Orihime safe.

The news of two missing taichos and a fukutaicho is not good news to him, especially when he met the blond not too long ago and he's known Toushiro for the past year. Both of them are capable to take care of themselves but that doesn't stop the substitute shinigami to worry.

"What do you mean the three of them are gone!?" Ichigo demanded. "They couldn't have just waltz away from battle."

"They're in the shinobi continent," Yamamoto-soutaicho simply replied. Urahara and Yoruichi remain expressionless, knowing full well where the two missing taichos are now, but Ichigo was still clueless as ever. There is still so much for the teen to learn.

"Shinobi continent? Where the heck is the shinobi continent?" Ichigo demanded again.

"I can explain that," Urahara voiced, fanning himself with his fan. "Only taicho-level shinigamis are allow to know of this place but since this is of important matter, the fukutaichos should at least know what are they getting to after this." He said, he waited for the soutaicho's nod of consent before continuing. "The shinobi continent is a pocket dimension where most humans there are shinobis. Think of the black ops in the second division or the ninja movies you watched a while back. Instead of using reiryoku, they use chakra for their skills. Of course, half of their chakra is spiritual base and the stronger the shinobis are; the more likely they will attract hollows. So, a barrier was placed around the continent and once a year, a taicho-level shinigami can pass through the barrier to send earth-bound souls and hollows to the afterlife. The odd thing about shinobis is despite of their high reiryoku count, they can't see us and their civilization isn't as much advance as ours is. Other than that, the barrier doesn't go down in this time of the year, if I recall."

"If the barrier is still up, how can they get through it?" Ichigo muttered. Yamamoto banged the end of his staff to the ground and effectively silencing everybody.

"Before Aizen was announced as a traitor, he found a shinobi who posses a good knowledge of sealing." Yamamoto began, everybody but Ichigo tensed. "Shinobi seals are sophisticated, complex, and they have limitless possibilities. It is believed that Aizen and the shinobi accomplice has created temporary hole to bypass the barrier. That occurred when we were engaged in battle against the enemy days back. Namikaze-taicho, Hitsugaya-taicho and Hinamori-fukutaicho went inside of the palace under false orders due to Aizen's temporary hacking into our communication systems. It is most likely that the three are currently at the other dimension, plotting their next move as they speak."

A hand was raised.

"Yes, Kuchiki-taicho," Yamamoto addressed.

"What is exactly Aizen's main goal in the Continent?" Byakuya asked. "Other than the most likely fact that he could raise an army of arrancars from shinobi souls. I have doubt that it would make a bigger impact in the war." The soutaicho paused for a moment, gravely quiet for a moment. There was another minute of silence before he finally responded, his tone grim.

"The man is trying to convert the bijuus to his side, making them his new espadas," The answer was replied with silence, but Ichigo rudely broke the silence.

"What the hell are the bijuus?" he half asked and half demanded, being the curious teen he is.

"Beings that you wish aren't your enemies at all," Urahara replied with a grave tone equal to the soutaicho's. "There are nine of them, Kurosaki. The more tails they have, the stronger they are, and the strongest of them of all is the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The Kyuubi is known for his malevolence and having unlimited powers. No doubt Aizen would want that bijuu to be his new espada number zero. We can consider ourselves dead if we were to face that monster."

Only one word can summarize the whole meeting, and Ichigo voiced out everybody's thought.

"Shit."

/---------------------/

'_Happy Birthday, Uzumaki Naruto.'_

_'There's no freaking way. Absolutely no freaking way this could be the same guy.'_

The thought race through his mind the moment Toushiro appeared with Minato. He couldn't be a shinigami like Minato, let alone be dead. Water and ice materialize in the shape of an ice dragon at the two arrancars Toushiro's facing. It was awe and horrifying sight for the shinobis, as they could not believe the amount of water and ice materializing, and no doubt he's surpass the Nidaime hands down.

Minato was no different too.

_"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadou No. 63: Raikouhou!(Way of Destruction No. 63: Thunder Roar Cannon)!"_ Minato chanted before firing out a massive wave of lighting towards the other two arrancars. The blond shinigami didn't look like he has a main element like Toushiro but that doesn't stop him from giving the enemy a hard time.

"Stop using those bloody spells, shinigami!" one of the two arrancar demanded with absolute fury.

"Why should I?" Minato asked. "I don't see you two making that much effort with your hits and your speed isn't that great either." Another spell flew out, it contacted with one arrancar while the other charged straight at the blond who quickly blocks the other's blade.

"But we do have a question: is your main goal here to capture Uzumaki Naruto?" Toushiro asked his opponent. For a moment, the arrancar's face was expressionless, and then he laughed.

"The boy is harboring a monster in him, why not make him one?" The arrancar began. Minato gritted his teeth at the statement, looking pained at the same time, but didn't say anything. Toushiro openly glared at the arrancar and the temperature dropped a notch. "If anybody's taking the blame for the Jinchuuriki's fate, blame the village's Yondaime for cursing the brat. We're just finishing what he started and you shinigamis can't do a thing about it."

"...You were right about one thing, it's my entire fault," Minato states sadly. Like a quick one-eighty, the light heartiness tone became dead serious, almost causing the arrancars to shiver with fear. It was cold, cold and emotionless, devoid of anything. Toushiro dodged and parried attacks from the two arrancars, glancing Minato once to see that dead serious face on the blond's face. That expression is a major no-no in his book, he's seen that look several times before and like any sane person, getting out of the blond's way is the sanest idea his subconscious and instincts is giving him right now.

"It looks like it's my time to retire," Toushiro replied, sheathing his blade.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" the arrancars questioned. "Are you giving it all up?"

"No, I'm doing a tactical retreat," Toushiro replied all while descending. The arrancars followed but was stopped by Minato. Toushiro landed safely on the ground and calmly stroll back inside the barrier; the shinobis avoided him like a plague as they subtly distance themselves from him.

"Why did you stop fighting?" Sakura asked nervously. Toushiro looks at her blankly before turning back to the fight.

"I don't need to fight anymore," Toushiro replied coldly. "Minato can handle this by himself. He does not need another to hold his hand in a simple battle like this."

"And if he needs help," Jiraiya asked. The toad sage's face was blank but Toushiro caught the hint of worry the man's tone, however faint it was.

"If I don't trust Minato in his fighting skills it would be an insult to his warrior's pride," Toushiro replied. "Your former student is not the man you remembered long ago. He's no longer a shinobi; he's a full fledge shinigami who is holding one of the highest ranking among the other shinigamis in Goteijuusantai." The shinobis within hearing radius paled. Former student? That can't be right. The toad sage's former student is…the Yondaime himself.

"_Kaku o haanatano chikara wo shimesu, Byakko."_ Minato chanted and his blade transforms itself into a long, white nodachi rather than it's usual cleaver blade. For a moment, his reiatsu was thick and heavy, it was hard to even think, but then it was nothing. The blond raises his blade almost eye level with just one arm, looking coldly back at the anticipating arrancars.

"What the hell was that, shinigami? That was pa-" The arrancar's eyes widen as Minato disappears, reappears on the ground and loosely holding his blade. It seemed like an eternity for the arrancars before numerous cut wounds slowly began to show itself on the body of each arrancars. Minato didn't look at the expressions of the enemy or the shinobis as the arrancars vanish one by one, turning into reishi. He did catch one of the last words spoken by the first arrancar he sliced first.

"You…mon…ster." When the arrancars fade away completely, Minato scratched the back of his head, eyes closed, and his face relaxes, smiling peacefully.

"Monster? I guess that word can define me as well," Minato said to no one in particular then turn to Toushiro, eyes no longer sharp or harsh. "I'm going to send Byakko out to see the status of the other villages, he won't take too long in reeling me back the information."

"Do as you wish," Toushiro replied. "Don't overexert yourself."

"Me, overexert? I highly doubt that…_Wareme, Hachibi(Split, Eight Tails_)," Minato chanted. "_Tsuiseki suru(Track)_." His blade glow brightly for a moment before separating itself shooting upwards and flew towards eight different directions. When the light dimmed, the blade wasn't in his hand anymore. "Well, since there's no more hollows around a three mile radius, there is no point sticking around here, Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Wait a minute!" Minato heard Naruto's voice and he could feel himself subconsciously freezing on the spot. The blond shinigami could see the determination and confusion in his son's eyes but he himself couldn't help but to look away from it. He knows. He knows a piece of their connection, but it looks like his son doesn't know the second part of their connection. Minato could feel his throat dry and he couldn't move his mouth even if he wants to. In the end, he closed his eyes again, and absentmindedly told Byakko to shut up.

'_I'm so pathetic,'_ Minato thought bitterly before making himself scarce and shunpoed away. Toushiro looks onward with the scene and frowned.

'_He could face an army of hollows but he can't talk to his son,'_ Toushiro thought disapprovingly. _'Figures.'_ Wordlessly, Toushiro too shunpoed away before the Hokage or any of the clan leaders could stop him.

/-------------------/

Author's Ramblings: I ask you not to tell me to update faster. I have a PMSing brother whose causing a lot of drama at home, making me not want to write at all. I really, really want to beat him up for his arrogance, rudeness and overall behavior towards our parents. I am a patient person, but even my patience can stretch so far. I am dearly sorry I haven't updated this for so long.


	10. The Wrong Way

_In which we direct others to the wrong direction._

Chapter 08: The Wrong Way

"You're an idiot, Minato," Toushiro said bluntly as he watches Minato clean and stitch his thin but deep cuts on his arm. "That skill can allow you to kill those arrancars with ease, but your arm could handle so much reiatsu at once. You're just lucky that those wounds don't appear all at once, or they'll think you're weak."

"You worry too much, Toushiro," Minato pointed out the obvious. "What they don't know won't hurt them. Besides, you should thank the color of our uniform. Crimson red blends in with the black rather well…most of the time." He paused, listening to himself for a moment and mentally cursed at Byakko's influence again.

Toushiro sat down on a chair, which his gigai and Minato's teamed up to cleaned when they were fighting the arrancars, leaning back with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

"Have Byakko said anything to you yet?" Toushiro asked. Minato paused midway on a stitch, concentrating for a moment and then frowned.

"He asked me to tell you so kindly quote 'Midget, shut the hell up. I'm doing the job as fast as I can.' Unquote," Minato said with amusement as a tick mark appears on the older shinigami's forehead. "His words, not mine…other than that, so are no other signs of villages being attacked, saved for a few hollows here and there. Byakko took care of them."

"Looks like Aizen want to figure out how to get through your barrier." Minato rolled his eyes.

"Jiraiya and I are the two most accomplished seal masters," Minato stated. "Orochimaru is a decent master but if Jiraiya can't figure out the mechanisms for my Hiraishin, then there's no way Orochimaru could counter my protection seals." Toushiro could feel his lips twitched to a smirk.

"Until then, I believe that your seals will hold on," Toushiro said.

"Damn right you will," Minato said while adding the final stitch for his wound. "We can relax for a while before asking Tsunade to look at past reports regarding Orochimaru and look for Naruto later on."

"And have cold feet when you meet up with him again?" Toushiro asked, causing Minato to stop and glare at the other half-heartily before looking away.

"I won't back down next time."

"We'll see when we meet them again," Toushiro replied and added. "Without the huge crowd and all."

"…"

"I should ought to freeze you for being an idiot earlier, but I'll hold it for next time."

"Tch, figures you'll say that," Minato said, and then made a face at the needles he threw away. "I really hate needles…knew I should have transferred to the fourth division to learn some healing kidou. That way, I don't have to worry about stitching much." Toushiro raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You should of, seeing you spend a lot of time in that division."

"Whatever, maybe I can figure out how to heal through the medics here," Minato began. "I mean it looks similar so I could just ask Tsunade for some medic theories to study with."

"Hn." Toushiro didn't have much to say seeing that he is still a bit unfamiliar with the various types of jutsu in this world.

"I'll ask her when I see her," Minato said. "Maybe tomorrow. I don't want to do anything for the rest of the day seeing that

"Good because I need you to do this," Toushiro said, tossing Minato an empty scroll.

"…What's this for?" Minato asked, catching the scroll midair.

"Paperwork for Soul Society," Toushiro replied. "By the time we get back, we'll probably have a large amount of paperwork to do other than our detail report for your world. Might as well get started or cry yourself a river and let this bite you on the ass when we get back." Minato cringed at the thought. The paperwork the fifth division left unattended for almost a year took him what felt like a lifetime to do. It was a miracle itself when he finished it all the day before the attack.

"Can I copy yours?" Minato asked innocently, his eyes have a childish glint in them making the blond look younger than normal.

"You're not a real child, Minato. Write it in your own damn words!" Toushiro reprimanded, causing the blond to cringe.

"Well, it was a wishful thinking," Minato sighed, sitting down on the nearest chair to start on his report.

/-------------------/

For once in his life, Naruto couldn't concentrate on the conversation with Sakura and Sai as they headed towards the training ground with Yamato strolling not to far behind. The event with the hollows yesterday was still being processed in his mind and Toushiro's words still rang sharply in his mind.

'_Your former student is not the man you remembered long ago.'_

'_...You were right about one thing, it's my entire fault.'_

Minato was one of Ero-sennin's student, but the only student was the Yondaime himself. He has seen a photo of the Yondaime and the man looks way older than his look-alike. He even admitted changing Naruto into a Jinchuuriki was his fault, but that can't be right. Humans can't become gods…can they? Not only that, don't people look the same when they die? The man that sealed the Kyuubi in him…

"Naruto, are you all right?" Sakura's voice finally reaches him. She eyed him worriedly while Sai looks at him with an expressionless face.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

"We've been calling you for the past three minutes," Sakura stated with a hint of annoyance, and then her eyes soften. "Were…you thinking about what Hitsugaya said?"

"Whose words are you talking about?" Toushiro asked, standing a couple feet behind Yamato, Minato stood next to the other shinigami, and each of them wielding a wooden sword. Sakura and Naruto tensed up just listening to Toushiro's voice. "For one thing, little children, I don't like having others talk behind my back."

"Everybody in Seireitei knows that he has enough of that," Minato added.

"Shut up, Namikaze," Toushiro ordered. "Or I'll freeze you in a block of ice."

'_He's so cruel,'_ Sakura thought grimly. Minato chuckled as if nothing's wrong.

"Hai, _Hitsugaya-taicho_," Minato said with sarcasm evident in his tone.

"Umm…exactly what are you two doing here?" Yamato asked, slightly weary of the two.

"Well, Tsunade-san gave us permission to wander around the village with the ANBU watching us, so they can be sure that we're not a menace towards society," Minato said, rolling his eyes. "And usually in the morning, Toushiro and I would have a morning spar before we go along with our daily duties and occasional missions. "

"Spar?" Sakura repeated.

"Shinigami and shinobi are alike in some ways," Toushiro replied. "We train to perfect our abilities, and we try to surpass our processors." He paused; Minato looked as if he just took a bite on a sour lemon but said nothing. The living was just confused with the blond's sudden change of mood, and Toushiro continued on with his statement, "The difference is that we don't die as fast as the living does so I guess we can say we weren't fighting at the height of our powers yesterday."

"But…you two seem strong already," Sakura said, frowning.

"The evaluation of powers between the living and the dead is completely different," Minato replied. "I don't want to explain the specifics since we have some really rude company listening in to our conversation." He turned to the right and glared at a single tree. "Either you come out or I'll drag you out and use you as a target for my zanpakuto."

'_I take it back, Minato is much crueler,'_ Sakura thought as she watch first hand to see the blond switch his mood in a blink of an eye.

From the shadows, an ANBU shinobi jumped down from the tree and stood in front of Toushiro and Minato. The masked figure handed Minato a scroll.

"You have been summoned by the council officially," the ANBU said. "Don't be late." Without another word, the shinobi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"…Hmph. How annoying," Minato said, twirling the scroll in his hand. "I would prefer taking the summon for the Council 46 than the village's council." He turned back to Naruto and the others. "So I guess Toushiro and I have to hold the spar for today." He paused. "Hey, wanna spar later…when you're not busy, of course." It was like a bombshell dropping as the shinobi and Toushiro's eyes widen like saucers(Save for Sai, but the pale shinobi does look surprise).

"Are you out of your freaking mind!?" they chorused, hurting Minato's painfully sensitive ears.

"Hey, hey easy on the volume," Minato complained. "Without a doubt, I'll lose my hearing before the year's over."

"Then don't say such nonsense things," Toushiro ordered.

"But aren't you curious?" Minato asked ever so innocently, then he turned to Yamato and smiled brightly. "It's beneficial for both groups, especially for the senior taicho here. You guys get to learn a bit of our fighting style and Toushiro here gets to see a thing or two from you guys. If you agree, of course; see ya later! Don't freeze them to death, Toushiro." Minato disappeared in a blink of an eye, leaving Toushiro with the living. Seeing the blond talking like an excited child, Toushiro was torn between striking Minato with the wooden sword or call forth Hyourinmaru to encase the idiot in ice.

Either one, both ideas sound very tempting right about now.

"That idiotic brat," Toushiro muttered before turning to back to the group. "Shall we continue on to the training ground?"

/-------------------/

Minato entered the council with silence. The first thing Minato acknowledged was the seething anger radiating from the Godaime towards the council members. Behind her is Jiraiya; the usually fatherly sage has his serious mask on so Minato was sure that whatever the council is planning, he wouldn't like at all.

Minato spoke out first, seeing the council doesn't really know how to address the child version of their former Hokage.

"I believe Toushiro and I are holding our end of the bargain," he said. "Why are I here this time?"

"The council is here to confirm who you say you are," Koharu replied.

"The hollows attack the village wasn't enough proof that you are targeted," Minato asked, he dropped his lenient self and wore the same serious mask as Jiraiya's. "You still want authentic proof that I am who I say I am." Byakko was already stirring from his mind and tuning onto the meeting.

'_You eavesdropper.'_

'_**I'm you, so I'm not eavesdropping in any way.'**_ Byakko replied smugly.

'_Go back to sleep,'_ Minato ordered, knowing full well that his zanpakuto won't, and turned his attention back to the meeting.

"…- We want to know where your loyalty lies," Danzou finished.

"With Soul Society, of course," Minato replied without skipping beat. The civilian side suddenly jumped out of their seat, point fingers at him almost immediately.

"See! We told you he was a fake!" Minato glared darkly at that half of the council, causing them to pause and obediently sat back down on their seat.

'_**Should have let me out and sic on them instead.'**_

"I am not a fake," Minato insisted, feeling insulted from the accusation. "The village I loved is nothing but a memory to me now. Until my mission ends, I answer only to Tsunade-sama and nobody else. Don't argue with me, I'm a different man and I've been prone to lashing out these last few years."

'_**Nice bluff.'**_ Byakko snickered slightly. _**'You were more of a fool than a mini-Toushiro.'**_

'…_Isn't that the other way around?'_

"…If that's the case, we'll put your loyalties on hold," Danzou said. "We'll move onto a different topic."

"What are you going to do about that demon?" Homura asked. Minato flinched before he glared at the elder. How dare they call his son a demon after all this time?

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what are you talking about." Byakko snarled in the back of his mind. Minato knows what exactly they're talking about, he wants to make sure if he's on the same page as them. Just to be sure. He knows that Byakko is just itching to rip the council to shreds. It was Koharu who replied.

"We are talking about what plans do you have of in disposing the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki, Namikaze."

'_I'm going to kill them,_' Minato thought darkly, his hands curled to a fist. This time, he didn't blame Byakko for the influence.

/---------------------/

Sasuke eyes narrowed at Orochimaru's old 'friend' as the said 'friend' looks back at him with cold brown eyes. Something about that man seemed really off. A couple days ago when that newcomer arrived with a group of white uniformed figures, Orochimaru was gazing the man with same gaze he would give to Sasuke: the gaze of obtaining whatever kind of power the target has.

"What do you want?" Sasuke demanded. Orochimaru's 'friend' looked down at the teenager with amusement.

"Forgive me, my name is Aizen Sousuke and I was not expecting my friend was housing such a powerful shinobi just as yourself. You show a lot of potential," Aizen said, his cold eyes never leaving Sasuke. "Black coal eyes…might I ask, you are one of the Uchiha member, a wielder of the Sharingan." The gaze intensifies; if Sasuke didn't train himself in masking his emotions, he would have shuddered.

"Orochimaru is not 'housing' me," Sasuke replied, glaring at the man. "And I am Uchiha Sasuke, the last of the Uchiha. Leave me be, or I'll kill you." Sasuke is thirsty for power, Aizen concluded. He could already tell the amount of power the boy has shimmering under the surface, and the things he do to make the boy bend under his will…

Aizen has no intention of letting his new lab rat escape.

"Sasuke-kun, how would you like to obtain powers no shinobi has before?"

The boy paused mid stride, causing Aizen to smile.

He loves the fact how easy it is for him to manipulate humans.

/-------------------/

Author's Rant: I didn't know how should I steer this chapter so I'm writing this with whatever that comes to my mind. I want to thank everybody for leaving me a review in the last chapter, that's bad. I was so not expecting that many and I've been proven wrong by all of you. An important announcement before I leave you to review: I'm going to China and I won't be back till the beginning of September. So yeah. -_-* I'm sorry! Expect no update in August. Sorry to leave you hanging!

One more question: who here has play this game Hotel 626 online? The level with the kid and the lullaby, wasn't it creepy? It reminded me of one of the Pirates of the Caribbean trailer where there was a little girl's tone singing the pirate song in a really creepy way. . .


	11. Even Death Gods have Issues

_Everybody is a bit tad off in their noggin._

Chapter 09: Even Death God have Issues

'_I'm going to kill him,'_ Minato's mind chanted those words like a mantra. _'I'm going to impale him and string him up with his intestines.'_ The things Minato thought up made his zanpakuto very happy(in a sadistic way). So pleased he decided that tonight he wouldn't invade Minato's dreams(which the spirit does every so often, just to tick his wielder off).

'_Too bad we can't exactly reap his life, you know,'_ Byakko chided, fueling Minato's anger a bit more.

'_I am aware of that,'_ Minato snapped at his spirit before turning his attention back to the council. "Why would you suggest such a thing?" He was pissed but he didn't show it through his voice. His eyes were a completely different story. A small, small tinge of red can be seen in his blue irises.

"The boy is becoming a threat to the safety of the village as of late," the older man replied. "He must be disposed of so that the village doesn't face certain destruction. Isn't it as your partner said: as long as the boy is alive, those monsters will continue to attack us." The council didn't say anything, especially while they could see the smoldering anger in the teen Yondaime's eyes towards Danzo. His appearance may have changed but those gaze stayed the same; the very gaze he would give to an enemy shinobi during the Great War.

"Whereas, if you think that killing him is the answer to everything, your beloved home will be saved?" Minato questioned.

"Konoha is your home as well." Danzo stated.

"It was my home. I belong with the dead. Seireitei is my home now," Minato countered. "I am here only for my mission, after that, I'm cutting my ties with this village. I doubt I'll be coming back." _'I doubt I'll be coming back while you're still here.'_ He mentally added. Before Danzou could say anything else, Tsunade stepped in to intervene.

'_Couldn't the old hag waited a bit longer before interrupting?'_ Byakko grumbled.

'_We should be grateful for her, and don't call her an old hag!'_ Minato scolded back at his other self. He had to concentrate hard back to reality, arguing both ways could take a toll.

The lady Hokage turned to Danzo, fury in her eyes. "I too wish to know why would you say such absurdity while Naruto has done so much for the village."

"Have you forgotten about the Akatsuki is still after him?" Danzo added. "They will come after for the boy, or rather the bijuu inside of him. Two Akatsuki members has infiltrated Konoha in their first attempt in capturing the boy." Minato's expression never changed.

"Tsunade-sama," he began. "Do you know the reason why the Akatsuki want with the Kyuubi?" By his tone, he was demanding her for the answer, not questioning her.

"…The Akatsuki is going around to every country trying to capture ever Jinchuuriki to extract the tailed-beast out of them," Tsunade said. "It is likely that they are using the chakra of the beasts for a weapon."

'_Why does that sound the usual world domination crap I would find you reading back in the other world?'_ Byakko mused. Minato pretended he didn't hear that at all. At this point, the blond had to imagine a brick wall between Byakko and himself to cut off any mental connection for now.

"If Naruto dies while Aizen is here, he can turn Naruto into a hollow," Minato said. "Aizen developed a device to cross worlds. I'm pretty sure he's building a second device as we speak. There is no possible chance for Naruto to escape Aizen's grasp unless we end him in this world. Preferably before he turns any Jinchuuriki into an Espada-level arrancar."

"So bluntly speaking, we're screwed while this Aizen guy is out there alive," Inuzuka Tsume said, baring her canines. "Even in death, Uzumaki Naruto won't escape this mad-man's grasp."

"That's the easy way in putting things together," Minato replied.

"Can't you just send the bastard to hell and get this over with?" Inoichi asked.

"I'm pretty sure the other captains would have done so already before I got promoted." Minato said bluntly. "That's why Hitsugaya-taicho and I are telling you to stay put," Minato said. "Should your soul be devour or should anybody were to be transformed into a hollow…" Byakko appeared in his hand, the sunlight reflecting the blade made it look even more dangerous and ominous. "Byakko and I will just have to cut you down before any damage is caused." He smiled, but it wasn't one of his usual smiles. His usual smiles are fox-like, border lining goofiness. This smile…this smile is promising pain and bloodshed should they not heed his warning.

'…_I should ask Minato to do a physiological check-up later on,'_ Tsunade thought, inwardly cringing. She glanced at Jiraiya once and she could tell the man was equally disturbed. Not only did it worried her, it made her wondered if this was really Minato or this 'Byakko' he spoke of, considering Inoichi did mention something about a dragon living inside the other shinigami's mind. Could Minato switch places with the other spirit is completely questionable and highly plausible.

…Great, how to tell the hell can she ask Minato without offending him?

'_Minato, I need to do a mental examination on you to be sure you're still…sane.'_

She could feel another headache developing already.

It didn't take them too long end the meeting, everybody wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, and away from the crazed blond that was once seen as their Hokage.

/--------------------/

"Hm?" Toushiro stopped in a mid-strike and turned to the sky.

"Eh? Is something the matter, Toushiro?" Naruto asked as he wondered why the white-haired shinigami stopped.

"…It's nothing," Toushiro replied. "The sun must be getting to me. I never liked that oversized ball of inferno, never have and never will."

"Would you like to sit under the shade and rest?" Yamato offered.

"I said I dislike the sun, I never said it has the power to weaken me in any way," Toushiro replied.

'_But Yamato-sensei didn't say you could get weak,'_ Sakura thought grimly.

'_He's completely different from the Toushiro I knew…'_ Naruto thought just as grim. Then an idea popped into his head. "Hey, Toushiro! Is there a way I can be a shinigami!?" Sakura immediately bonked Naruto from behind, sending the blond flying. Toushiro merely raised an eyebrow, looking at the scene in front of him. He was amazed how strong the girl was despite of the age. She could be a living version of the Kusajishi-fukutaicho…only less hyper and easier to anger.

"Do you realize you're asking him to kill you!?" The pink-haired kunoichi cried.

"I was gonna ask him if there was a way I can be alive while having shinigami powers," Naruto moaned as he got back up and rubbed the bruise he received.

"It is by our laws that we can't transfer our powers to the living. Not unless we can to face exile or possible execution," Toushiro replied. "Sorry, but it's risky and usually it results with death." He paused. "Exactly why would you want our powers?"

"It's just…Minato and you are the only ones protecting us, right?" Naruto asked.

"For now," Toushiro replied. "Back up will arrive a little later on."

"Wouldn't it be better if you had more shinigami helping out right now?" Toushiro almost let his lips twitch. The question is simple and almost innocent, and the boy looked determined to know why he can't help. His determination rivals Kurosaki and his father's.

"Not all the time, Uzumaki," For a moment, Toushiro saw a hurt glint in the boy's eyes, but it disappeared before he could get a second glance at it. "One thing about a taicho is that they would do whatever in their power to protect their subordinates, even risking their lives. Should a lower seat shinigami charge into battle with powerful enemies, they'll only be sitting ducks, and the enemy will gain an upper advantage. Should a shinobi launch and attack, it would be futile and a waste."

"…So we'll only be targets should we become a shinigami? Even if our spiritual energies are higher than a normal human." Sai asked.

"As cold as it may be, it's the truth," Toushiro replied. "An arrancar is a combination of countless spirits merged into one being. It's like having one soul against another soul that is a fusion of a couple thousand souls. Sounds fun fight one, doesn't it?" Even an idiot could tell the shinigami was sarcastic about that.

"Still…isn't there a way that we could help at all?" Naruto asked. "What's the use in going to the battle when all we're gonna do is watch?"

"It's better than being a seven course meal for a hollow," Toushiro countered while looking at Naruto in the eyes. "Remember the other day when the hollows said you were delicious? Should they get their hands on you, they'll rip you from limb to limb both your physical body and soul just to have a taste of you." Naruto involuntarily shivered.

"Y-You're not kidding, right?" Naruto asked.

"Do I look like the type to kid?" Naruto studied Toushiro's face and quickly shook his head.

"Nope! You don't lie! Not at all," Naruto insisted. "I was wrong to doubt you in the first place." Toushiro's eyes soften for a moment before hardening again.

"Che. Whatever." He dismissed their previous topic. "I'm willing to fight for a little longer. Who's first?"

/------------------------/

"Your former favorite student isn't so sane in the head anymore," Tsunade commented the moment she felt Jiraiya's presence just outside of her window. After the meeting, Minato disappeared to god-knows where after the meeting.

"I don't need to be told to know that," Jiraiya said.

"Then do I have to tell you I'm perfectly sane?" Minato's voice pierced through the conversation, startling the two sannin. Tsunade and Jiraiya turned to the source of the voice and found Minato sitting on one of the many paperwork stacks while holding a report in his right hand. "Cause on my last psyche check, I got a passing score from Unohana-taicho and her medical capabilities can par with yours, Tsunade-san."

"Threatening an entire council was not sane," Tsunade began.

"If your alive, of course it isn't," Minato shrugged. "Seeing I'm dead, it's possible that I can."

"You're risking your chance for corporation from them, Minato," Tsunade pointed out.

"They can't exactly go and kill someone that's already dead," Minato replied. "Besides, I'm just giving them the best course of action."

"By staying out of your way, right?" Jiraiya said. "Most clans aren't going to take it too way…that and they won't trust you as much since you claim your loyalty isn't with Konoha anymore."

"Let them think what they want," Minato replied. "Of all the villages that existed in this world, I could of chosen some other place to plan and protect personally." Tsunade and Jiraiya didn't speak; they know Minato's still here and whom the blond is here truly for.

"Don't pull another stunt like this," Tsunade began as she rubbed the temples of her forehead. "Most likely I'll be hearing a lot of complaints about this from Danzo and the other two." Minato scowled at the mention of the old war hawk's name.

"He can just roll over and die," Minato growled. "Byakko and I made a mutual agreement for once. Danzo can just go to hell for all we care."

"Don't we all?" Tsunade muttered.

"What are you going to do now?" Jiraiya asked. Minato paused to think for a moment.

"Well…I want to personally go check the seals Toushiro and I placed around the other villages again, even if Byakko did secure the area himself the other day. I can't help but feel a bit uneasy," Minato replied. "And I want to talk to the other Kage personally about the situation." He thought for a moment. "Iwa would be the most difficult to persuade, unless I force Toushiro to go and persuade them himself…but you know they're pricks when it comes to negotiating."

"Your partner, Toushiro, showed us his zanpakuto the other day," Jiraiya slowly began. "It was a shape of a dragon…is your the same as his?"

"…If you're talking about having a spirit residing in my blade, then yes, I do," Minato replied. "But no shinigami has the same blade so you can already guess my spirit isn't Hyourinmaru."

"It's Byakko, right?" Tsunade asked.

"Yep," Minato "I can bring him out right now." The blond's eyes darkened, they became unfocused, looking as if he was in some sort of a trance. There was silence and then like the meeting with Toushiro, a white energy surrounded Minato and began solidify into a form the two Sannins weren't expecting at all.

It was a mini white version of the _fucking_ Kyuubi.

_What the hell? _

Tsunade gapped. Jiraiya looked like he just went into shock. Minato could only look at them with a maniac grin on his face.

"Byakko, meet Jiraiya-sensei and Tsunade-san," Minato began. "Sensei. Tsunade-san, meet Byakko, the white nine-tailed fox spirit of my zanpakuto." Glowing red eyes look back at shocked amber and brown eyes. Nine tails swayed back and forth lazily before he/it growled back at Minato. The blond merely rolled his eyes.

"Now you tell me you want to go to sleep."

"You understood it?" Jiraiya asked, still getting over the shock.

"He's been talking to me _in my head_ a little over a decade," Minato replied, deadpanned. Tsunade made a mental note in her head:

'_Death Gods have a serious case of MPD and the afterlife is ruled by a bunch of nutcases. Joy.'_

/------------------------/

Toushiro twitched at the sight of the ramen stand Naruto dragged him to. He should have figured this blond is another ramen fanatic like his father. What the saying again?

'_Like father, like son.' _

How Toushiro want to send the idiot who quoted that line to hell.

"I hate ramen," Toushiro muttered under his breath, glaring at his steamy bowl. Naruto looked at the older boy as if he was the Anti-Christ himself.

"Don't you dare diss ramen," Naruto said. "Ramen is food for the gods-" Toushiro gave Naruto a dark look, causing the blond to stop mid-sentence. "…Nevermind."

"…If you must know, Namikaze and you have a lot of things in common," Toushiro began. "You'll get along with the man if you give it a chance."

"I am giving him a chance," Naruto said.

"Is it because he sealed the Kyuubi in you?" Toushiro replied, taking a sip of the green tea he requested earlier and watch from the corner of his vision to see Naruto tensed. "Namikaze has his faults as well, you have faults and so do I." Toushiro replied. Naruto didn't say anything as he remembered the conversation he had with Toushiro years ago, and the subject about that man.

Wait...

"Toushiro, the guy you told me about years ago…" Naruto trailed.

"Namikaze is that said man," Toushiro finished the sentence for Naruto. "It's better if you ask him questions and not me. After all, what happened to you before I met you is not my problem. It's between you and Namikaze. Talk to him when you find the right time to do so. Just not right now." Naruto didn't comprehend Toushiro's last sentence until a familiar blond showed up.

"Oh, there you guys are," Minato's voice broke through the conversation, appearing behind the two. Toushiro didn't react on Minato's sudden appearance, he already sensed the blond coming a mile away. Naruto jumped, startled, and almost spilled his ramen bowl in the process. "Training over already?" Minato eyed Toushiro and the bowl of ramen with a raised eyebrow.

"Uzumaki offered," Toushiro said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Minato shook his head, looking almost sagely, and then sat on an empty stool next to Naruto.

"A bowl of miso ramen, please and thanks."

"Coming up." Teuchi said over the steam. Naruto merely blinked at Minato.

"You like miso ramen too?" he asked Minato. Minato merely grinned back.

"You too?" Minato asked. "Heh, I suppose you a couple bowls of ramen everyday, right?"

"You too?!"

"Yes, but only if I my paycheck allow it," Minato joked. This time, Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Shinigami…gets paid?" The thought itself was shocking.

"Yes we do," Minato replied. "…And Toushiro here has a higher wage than me. The number of zeros in his checkbook confirms it."

"Don't drag me into this," Toushiro said.

"So…Toushiro's stingy about his money?" Naruto asked. Minato laughed aloud while Toushiro scowled.

"I'm not stingy!"

"Naruto was just teasing you, Toushiro," Minato snickered. "You don't have to explode on the kid."

"I'm not a kid!" This time, it was Naruto's turn to be mad.

"Alright, I'll rephrase that," Minato said. "You don't have to explode on the young man here." Satisfied with the correction, Naruto finished his bowl of ramen and ordered another one.

/----------------------/

Author's Ramblings: Errrm, I never died. I just…got lost in the road of life. Yeah! Yeah! That's why. –laughs nervously- Okay… buying a NDSi and playing a couple Megaman games isn't helping much on my writing. Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long. I also got back into the Megaman fandom and I'm so sorry, I started on another crossover.

-shifty eyes- I'm sorry! –hides-

Happy belated birthday, Naruto! By an hour!!!


	12. Interlude 02 Beauty

Interlude 02: Beauty

"You're so beautiful," Eleventh division's fifth seat, Yumichika Ayasegawa declared in front of Minato's face. The blond man stared and blinked before the words finally registered in his mind.

"Excuse me?" he blurted aloud. He was by then a very disturbed man and his 'freaking out' meter skyrocketed when the other man grabbed his hand and raised it up high.

"Beautiful men like us should unite and get rid of the ugliness of both worlds!" Yumichika declared. Minato swatted his arm away and took a couple steps back, clearly disturbed.

Minato considers himself handsome, not beautiful. Beautiful is a term used for women and he's one-hundred percent male, damnit!

"Um…interesting offer…but I have to decline…work – paperwork!" the blond exclaimed. "That's right! I have paper work!" The older shinigami frowned(they may look about the same age but it was obvious Yumichika has been a shinigami much longer than Minato. However, the blond was the saner one between the two).

"Surely you have time to rally with me about beauty supremacy."

"I would love to, but the stacks of paperwork that was left untouched for almost a year piled up and unfortunately there's a lot to do. Also, there's the training exercises I have for my divisions to do and many other things. I'm a really busy man," Minato said, making the excuse real as possible, all while grinning sheepishly and backing away from the craze, beauty-obsessed shinigami. He made a mental note to never step foot within the eleventh division ever again.

…Then he bumped with something very tall, the reiatsu felt very familiar and the 'I'm so screwed' look is evident on his face. He slowly half-turned his body to face the menacing-grin of Zaraki Kenpachi.

He quickly edited his mental note underlining 'ever' a couple times darkly.

"Good afternoon, Blonde." Zaraki greeted, still grinning that same insane grin.

"Good afternoon, Zaraki-taicho," Minato greeted back without stuttering at all(which surprise the blond the most). He had heard of many stories involving the man, the blond was hoping they wouldn't meet up till much later in his time of captaincy other than in meetings.

"I heard you're a pretty good fighter," Zaraki began. Minato felt his heart sank.

He did not like how this going one bit. Not at all.

"I'm a decent fighter…nothing much," Minato replied humbly. The grin never disappeared from the other captain's face.

"We'll see about that," Zaraki said, pulling out his blade. Minato managed to shunpo out of the way before the zanpakuto connected. Just a swing from Zaraki's blade left a really long line on the tile floor.

It's a pretty deep gash.

Like almost five meters wide and ten meters deep.

"Umm…I got a division to run now, and paperwork to do." Minato said before giving the insane taicho a small wave goodbye. "Good day." He vanished before another word was said.

Zaraki didn't get the hint and chases after the blond.

"There's no way I'm letting you off the hook, Namikaze! Fighting to the death isn't so bad!"

Minato picked up his speed at the mere sound of the other's laughter.

The whole day, everybody throughout Soul Society claimed that they saw Zaraki-taicho chasing after a yellow flash. As amusing it may be to many, they didn't like the collateral damaged caused by the insane captain.

It's safe to say, Minato came out of this ordeal unscratched. He carried out his duties with no problems but he couldn't help but wonder why his entire division members(except for Momo) glance at him with pity when he passed them by. He smiles back at them to reassure them he's fine before going back to his office to resume doing his new pile of paperwork, oblivious to everything else around him. Many of his subordinates shook their head with pity. Their new taicho was going to get it now.

Unfortunately for Minato, there is an unspeakable rule that taichos fighting/fleeing Kenpachi has to pay for the damages(otherwise the eleventh division would have been in debt a long time ago). One that Minato was never informed of and the following week, the newest taicho received a pretty steep bill for the destruction of twenty-four buildings of Seireitei alone.

Minato will be mourning for the future state of his wallet really soon if not already.

/-----------/

Author's Ramblings: Uhhh...Happy New Year(I know, it's only a couple hours away)! I know, I'm just filling the gaps right now while working on the chapter. I curse myself by writing one too many fics at the same time and I'm trying to update all of them today...I'm so screwed. I hope you like this interlude with Minato, the ever so beautiful Yumichika and Kenpachi!!!! See you guys real soon!!!!


	13. This is not an update

**Announcement: **

Where can I start? I apologize this isn't an update. I don't normally post up announcements unless I have to. So here's my announcement:

I'm rewriting For Someone Important from chapters 3 and beyond. I'm changing a bit of the plot and I don't think I can go with the current plot. It's the same for the most part with slight alterations. I don't like doing this but I decided. Sorry.

After my finals and projects, I'll start posting the chapters. Hopefully I'll start posting the chapters sooner than that.

I promise I'll update really soon! I'm sorry for making everybody wait for this long. It was not intentional!

-Hakumei


	14. Announcement no 2

Announcement: For those who don't know, I have posted the new For Someone Important.

There are differences, whether or not people will like it or not, I don't know. Feedback is nice. I really want to know everybody's opinion in this.

I will delete this For Someone Important in about a week or so. Goodbye!


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